May I be lost or reborn?
by AeonLegacy
Summary: Playing a new game of the L'cies story, for the fifth time, I didn't expect anything to happen. As an unexpected storm occurs I get swept out of my world and pulled into the world of cocoon. Will aiding the L'cie be my salvation or will I be forever lost in this fantasy? Suck at summaries hope story makes up for it.
1. Fates calling

A/N: okay so this is officially my third fan fiction, thought that I start a new one I could get the creative blood flowing through me again. This is mainly my OCs, Mel K. Winters a 16 year old normal athletic high school tom boy with straight A grades and has androgynous facial features almost similar to a pretty boy in boy clothing and a pretty girl in girl clothing. A mixture of both in whatever clothing she's in,story. I suck at the summaries but hopefully this will become a good story, enjoy! (Warning: may contain spoilers for final fantasy 13 and 13-2 I suppose just a little note.)

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Chapter one: Fates calling:

The cool winter breeze rustled against the outside of my window begging desperately to enter my room. Luckily for me I lived on the Hawaiian islands born and raised, rather deal with the rain as the snow than actual snow and ice like up in the mainlands. Although, I live in a sunny environment I can tell you's that the sun don't affect me, stay out all day in it and I'm still pale looking. I find it very weird... But, today, no sun was out at all shining in the sky, must be a thick overcast?

Anyway I felt rather bored being home alone with dogs outside around the neighborhood barking annoyingly. I couldn't exactly concentrate on my drawing that I was making, it was about Fang, Vanille, Hope and Lightning. Fang was standing tall with her expression annoyed and steaming mad with a controller in hand, Vanille standing beside her calling out her friends name to calm her down, Hope is standing behind the red headed girl tugging at her right arm calling out her name nervously to get her attention. And finally Lightning, she stands behind Hope looking stoic as normal with a deadly poisonous glare embedded into her eyes, well eye since this was out of boredom SOLDIER girl had a black eye because of the pulse huntress punched her out of rage of a game she couldn't even beat the very first enemy of the game and Light thought to herself that she was going to murder Fang for the unexpected black eye.

Speaking of Final Fantasy 13 I have the sudden urge to play it again... I began to hook up my xbox 360 to my room tv and went to retrieve my games of 13 and 13-2. I practically remember everything to 13 and 13-2 story and events, all except most parts to Titans trials and and most of the c'ieth stone missions which are pains at times. I inserted the first disk into my console and waited for the opening of the game to begin. I left my room a bit to grab me a water bottle somehow I felt sort of uneasy, yet I shrugged it off like nothing and went back into my room.

While remembering the events I am instantly remember why I liked both games ,but during 13-2 I missed playing as Lightning and the others but what can you do when history is being re-written in and out of time and space with paradoxes come and go creating havoc in the past, present and future? Travel through time collecting artifacts/fragments, beating old and new bosses in order to stop a mad man from destroying everything and to find your older sister whom everyone but you thinks is either dead or turned to crystal and is holding the once floating utopia of cocoon in the air within the crystal pillar connecting cocoon and gran pulse together alongside Fang and Vanille Though is actually the goddess Etros protector and the only one who can save the world in 13-3.

Anyway. Just as I was about to start a new game, for the fifth time, something stops me suddenly.

"BoOOOMMM!"

I jump out of my chair out of fear and landed on my back, sore from hitting the hard tiled floor. The sound of rain becomes heavier and none stop. I stand to my feet and jog to the front door, once outside the night sky is darker and thickened due to heavy storm clouds that were not supposed to even arrive in the first place!

"What the hell?" I wondered as thunder began to sound.

"BoOOOOMMM!"

The crash had been so loud that even with my ears covered by my hands did it sound like it came right next to my ear.

With thunder crashing and sounding as loud as though it could be right beside me crashing it made me curious, where was its partner?

"CRASH!"

I jump again to fall onto the ground, the skies flash blue as lightning strikes the dark heavens with its force and majestic light. My heart begins to race that it can't slow down, the lightning is really close that I could feel that static making the hairs on my arm rise and fall.

Even though I was afraid I suddenly remember a line that Light says to Hope while in the underground route of Palumpolum;

"Lightning, it flashes bright then fades away. It doesn't protect, it only destroys."

"CRASH!"

Lightning crashes yet again only it somehow manages to strike my raised left arm directly coursing though my entire body until I am full and overdosed with volts of electricity.

I do not know if I am screaming in pain or not nor know how long time passed while I am standing being ever so tortured slowly by one of natures powerful source. Blood is all I taste in my mouth and maybe blood is what is trickling down from my nose I do not know. Before I even register to know what happens next I suddenly hear music, sweet and calm, that sounded like a very faint version of a fanmade version of Vanille's theme then my mind becomes blank.

* * *

I wake up outside laying on my back feeling disoriented, my vision is blurry and everything is vivid, I cannot feel anything my body feels nothing at all. I muster all of my strength to jerk my right hand to let out a gasp of pain. My right ac joint is still uncomfortable by jerking my hand to move my arm the pain awakens my entire body. With my senses returned I see the sky is still opaque with thunder and lightning nowhere to be seen nor heard.

I indolently rise to my feet then my entire left arm becomes numb to the bone I cannot suppress my pained laughter. I look and roll up my short sleeve tshirt to see my entire left arm, palm, fingers and all, has the pattern of lightning coiling around my flesh of blue markings upon my flesh. Surprisingly it didn't hurt, burn, nothing, it felt just as smooth as my skin before being struck. After that I just went back into my house and went back into my room wanting to forget everything that happened to me just now with a normal game of Final Fantasy.

The games main menu had been on for who knows how long and I am going to start a new game so I can take my mind off of the event that happened not too long ago. Once I made a new file I was expecting to hear Vanilles narration and the purge train traveling to Hanging Edge, instead I hear the instrumental version of Serah's theme and words, that do not relate to the game, appears on screen. It reads;

"Somehow you were chosen by fate girl who bears the mark of lightning. Destiny has given you another path, should you fail to not complete the task given to you you shall be trapped forever in that world. Shall you be lost forever or will you be reborn from this fantasy? Come, prove your worth."

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A/N: wow that took a while... Hope this is an okay first chapter to final fantasy 13 fanfic. Please leave a review, comment, criticism, whatever to See how I am doing if possible:) though optional it will be appreciated. Well until next time Ciao!

PS: the fan made theme song is on YouTube, type in 'final fantasy 13 Lightnings theme or Vanilles or Fangs and look for the name; Sahmlockhart. The fan made themes are really good! Just to let ya all know.


	2. What happened?

A/N: next chapter is up now, hopefully this is a good chapter, enjoy.

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"Ka-boOooOmM!"

The sound of an explosion jerks me awake, I had been lying face up on something smooth and cold with something white covering my eyes. I sweep the cloth aside to discover my vision is blurry once again. My limited vision allows me to see blurred figures of multiple shades of green, dark grey and white. Soon as my eyes adjust I stand to my feet seeing people in the same style and color clothes.

I do not know what is going on but whatever is happening or about to happen people are running in fear and I feel strong violent vibrations from beneath me.

I look at myself to see I am wearing the same white cloak but I can't seem to remember why I it seems familiar.

"RUUUUNNN!"

I look up to see a people running in the opposite direction, peering at a higher platform is a white, black and purple large mecha with a mechanical scorpion tail and huge razor saw blades on what I assume can be its 'hands'.

People were sprinting and screaming in fear, pushing whoever was in their way so they could get away themselves. I was about to run until I saw two young kids cowering by debris and rubble crying fearfully. The mecha had spotlights on its head and apparently it had its sights on the children.

"NOOOO!"

"There's nothing we can do to save them! I'm sorry ma'am but we need to leave!"

I turn around to see a mother and a man run off in the other direction with the woman crying desperately and thrashing madly to break free.

I turn back to the kids and start forcing my way through the sea of people, I pull the coat over my head to lose the extra weight to find a blade similar to Cloud Strifes( Final Fantasy 7) fell with the coat. I pick up the buster blade and strained myself to put it on my back like the Shinra SOLDIERs did and I pressed onward.

The mecha is drawing nearer and the bodies of people lessened to nothing and I sprint full throttle with the buster blade drawn. I hear whirs and hisses and the mecha has drawn something, a red light aims at the two kids and I see a fired missile!

"No!" I cry out suddenly.

I pull the blade back and swing it like a baseball bat connecting with the oncoming projectile.

'How am I doing this?!"

The missile is pushing against my strength and is forcing me to lose balance I struggle to stay planted firmly on the ground. The children behind me sound like they are crying harder than before, if I let go we'll be all blown to bits.!

'Enchant...'

"What the-?"

My left arm begins to glow white blue and crackle as though lightning is being produced in my limb, the energy is pulsing and crackling around my arm.

Surprisingly it doesn't hurt at all.

The lightning is coursing through my arm into my fingers and flows into my blade, my body no longer feels strained and weak but renewed and energetically strong. With my new found strength I put more power into my attack to see the missile is being pushed back greatly! With all the power I could muster the blade pulls through and the missile is thrown back at the owner.

Before the mecha had time to react the projectile connects and explodes at the robotic scorpions head and sends it flying elsewhere.

I put the blade back and some how fasten it in place on my back, the blue glow had faded back to being normal burned scars again. I turn to the children and hold out my hand and one of the children notice me. Mustering a warm and comforting smile I saw soothingly to them,

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Come on I'll take you to your mom now."

* * *

After returning the two kids back to woman I saw before I stood with my left shoulder leaning against a steel pillar on a bridge platform scanning my surroundings.

"This is the most long and realistic dream I ever had in my life. Why haven't I awakened nor know why this place looks familiar?" I wondered aloud to myself that no one else heard me.

I look down at the ground only to notice my clothing change drastically; I am now wearing black hiking boots with dark grey baggy pocketless jeans. I have a black pouch fastened on my right hip, a red sleeveless blank shirt, an alabaster neckerchief tied neatly around my neck, and a black sleeveless zippered overcoat with a white emblem on my left chest pocket of an iris. Plus I wear black leather open finger gloves with silver knuckle braces on them.

"I swear the more I see the more confused I get..."

I grip the hilt of my buster blade that is the same length as my body(5'7" in a half) and at least a foot in width, I also have two long stainless steel blades hang attached to my left hip wrapped in hardened leather bandages. The weight of the blades were not what I had assumed. Now I just scan my surroundings watching gunfire being exchanged from civilians and soldiers. Two people in the cloaks are beside me watching, one seems about 5'3" and the other seems about 5' in height compared to me. We watch as an airship with a large energy cannon fire twice at a platform, after being shot out of the air.

Everything is filled with cries of terror and one of the two beside me is screaming, a boys voice that sounds familiar.

I peer to my right to see the little taller one remove their cloak, once they did my heart stopped and my eyes widened in shock,

"Orange-pink hair tied in curled pig tails, nice forest green eyes, light pink halter top, orange and yellow skirt with a bear fur pelt around her waist, beige boots, multiple bracelets and bangles with beaded necklaces with that cheery,innocent and childish appearance,"

"Oerba Dia Vanille..." I saw softly to myself. The person besides Vanille too removes their cloak and I feel even more overwhelmed with shock,

"Short silver hair, despair filled light blue green eyes, short sleeved orange and yellow jacket, detailed green neckerchief over a black T-shirt, black gloves with white palms, deep green cargo pants, black pack hanging over the left side of his hip from his belt and light green boots,"

"Hope Estheim..." I also say quietly to myself.

I stare at the pair full of shock the strike of lightning paled in comparison. I stare at everything then back at the two again until I finally realize something,

"I'm in Hanging Edge! That means I'm really in my Final Fantasy 13 game..."

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A/N: yay I'm done, hope this was an interesting chapter please leave a comment, review, or criticism or say anything that comes to mind or to see how I am doing so far. Greatly appreciated and thank you, until the next chapter, Ciao!


	3. Anima

A/N: Now with the next chapter up lets see what will happen now shall we? Enjoy!

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It took me a while for my brain to register everything right now, I mean I can't really be in Final Fantasy 13 game am I? It could just be a very long and bizarre dream recreating visions in my head based off of the games events. But it seems so real that it doesn't seem like a lucid dream or just a dream at all, what the heck is going on here?!

"Hellooo! Are you alright over there?"

I gasped as I heard that, probably Australian, accent.

'Oh man! I must have been freaking out and did weird motions portraying my thoughts that Vanille and Hope noticed me beside them! What do I do?!'

I turned my head to see the red headed girl looking at me with that cheery expression on her face with Hope behind her looking afraid with despair etched in his eyes. I stand up tall, cleared my throat and nodded courteously.

"That's good, now we gotta go. Ciao!" Vanille says happily before running off.

"Hey wait up!" Hope says as he chases after his new friend who runs elsewhere.

'If I remember correctly this is where Vanille tries to help Hope confront Snow of his moms death... I think I should see Anima as well now.' Question as of right now: how do I so that?'

"Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzzzttt!"

I look at my scarred arm to see blue electricity crackling in smooth fluent motions, lightning bouncing around in every known direction in a two inch radius. I look skyward to see the air bike that Hope and Vanille takes in the air, with Gadot yelling at them in vain to get get back down. Soon in a flash they take off towards Animas threshold.

My arm suddenly reacts to the pairs departure and a thin jolt of lightning strikes aiming at the bike! Fearing the bike would explode it remains intact for the energy had stuck itself to the air bike like super glue!

"What the hell?" I say dumbfounded.

Soon the bike picks up acceleration and the electricity that attached itself onto the bike from my arm tightens and pulls me along with it.

"Aaaaaaaaghgggghghhh?!"

I am screaming and holding onto dear life as I am being carried through the air war zone, crying out in fear I just remembered that my life is in the hands of two kids who can't even control the bike let alone ride it! I feel my life will be gone long before either of us reaches Anima... Gulp...

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"Which way do we go now?" I hear Vanille ask right after Hope lectures her about trespassing in Fal'cie Animas threshold with a great possibility we could be branded L'cie, which Vanille answers in a blunt and short way that Pulse L'cie were evil and were meant to be purged instantly so no harm would befall upon Cocoon. Then right after the two stopped interrogating me with questions like: who are you? And how did I get here? etc. they decided it was best to be alert for enemies than be vulnerable while standing around talking away.

Soon after a short walk through the threshold we came across a dead end with the stairs in the air, literally ten feet in the air!

'Great! How do we get over this?' I wondered. When I thought about it things right now aren't going accordingly to like things are in the game, plus I don't want to wait around for Snow to lower the stairs, I thought it be easier to do this on our own.

"Uh, hey I think I got an idea..." I say cautiously trying to avoid saying either characters names aloud, knowing they could become suspicious of me being acquainted with their names indirectly.

Vanille looks at me with optimistic interest and asks,

"What do you have in mind?"

"Uh, I was kind of thinking that I could get one of you up and close enough to reach the ledge to pull yourself up to scout around and to find a way to bring the stairs down. If it is okay with you two that is."

'Though I already know there are zwerg droids and pantherons on the other side with those floating capsules with something useful in them.

I turn to see past Vanille to peer into Hopes eyes, they flash anxiety and fear but overall rage. I understand why he acts this way because we are within the lair of the pulse Fal'cie Anima who, should we enter the deeper part of its threshold, would brand us as its slaves branded with the mark of the pulse L'cie. Vanille notices this as well so she volunteers herself,

"I'll do it, just leave it to me." the red head says with a cheery smile.

I stare at her for a second and smirk happily for her happy go lucky and cheerful attitude rubbed off on me.

"Let's get it done then."

* * *

"Hey can't you go any higher?"

"What you still can't reach it?! How much higher is it?!"

It had been ten minutes since I tried getting Vanille, whose heeled boots are digging into my shoulders I wince in pain, up and over the stairs. At first it didn't seem hard but now I can't go through with my plan...

'This sucks now... Huh, I guess I should have waited but I became impatient. Now we wait for the so called self proclaimed 'hero' to help us out.'

Once I sighed bright lights appeared beside the stairs on both sides, casting golden shadows to dispell the dark lingering shadows.

'Looks like Snow brought the stairs down, sooner than I thought it would take at first... Lets hurry and get to the Fal'cie.'

* * *

Hours had passed since me, Hope and Vanille teamed up with Snow who we happened to have bumped into while we were practically swarmed by the lower level C'ieth we continued our journey through the threshold. Snow, as always, led us acting as our 'protecter' and leader while muttering something to himself, I stood behind Vanille with Hope standing beside me. I would side glance at the boy to find his eyes glowing with intense hatred to the blond guy ahead of him that if looks could kill this would have taken first place.

'What are these two going to do? No what am I going to do? I forgot that I am trapped here that I probably won't be able to get back home... Would anything here change if I said something? No, I shouldn't say anything yet at least not now... These things should unfold on their own. But how can I let Hope suffer from losing the one he cared for, who gave him life?'

We stood waiting on the descending dandelion colored platform until Snow yelled at a small figure below us on the ground.

"Serah!" He screams down to the platform below us.

'Serah... Oh man I forgot about this part of the game, Serah turns to crystal once she tells Lightning and Snow her final request...'

'Pink tint hair styled in a sideways ponytail on the left side of her head her hair falling over her left shoulder, a bit darker shade of blue caring and intelligent eyes, white sleeveless collard top with a lighter shade of pink, almost transparent, sleeveless over shirt, red plade pleated skirt with black laces, black armband on her right bicep, black thigh high socks with ivory ankle high boots and a bandage covering her brand on her left bicep. Lightnings younger sister,'

"Serah..." I say softly to myself as I look at the branded girl laying on her back with her eyes closed looking as though every ounce of energy she had had been drained out of her.

"Serah!"

The voice of the person that shouted the girls name wasn't Snow this time it was more feminine and sounded strong in a sense with a bit of rage. That voice sounded familiar.

'Long light pink hair that is razor cut styled that drapes over the left shoulder, pale aqua blue eyes wearing a standard sergeant Guardian Corp uniform made of a white sleeveless over coat over a brown zipped up turtleneck, a green metallic pauldron over her left shoulder bearing yellow stripes, a red cape attached to the pauldron, long black sleeve on her left arm, knee high leather boots, brown mini skirt over high topped black shorts, a black case connected to her belt sheathing her gun blade, with a red pack that is strapped around her waist and left leg, a lightning shaped necklace around her neck, two black bands around her right bicep similar to Serah.'

"Soldier girl..."

Next to her came the final piece fate had called upon.

' A middle aged man with an Afro that has a chocobo chick inside of it, long olive coat over khaki trousers, white button down shirt and black engineer boots. Two pistol holsters strapped onto his thighs.'

"Sahz..."

Now my heart is hurting like someone has it in their hands and is squeezing it with an iron grip I couldn't bear it, my eyes is glued to what is happening before me like it would while watching it on the tv only it's a reality I have to survive in.

"Time to go! We have to leave before the army... What?" Lightning stops mid sentence when she sees the pilot looking at the girl in her arms with stone cold hate.

"That's a pulse brand. That girls a L'cie" Sahz says in a low voice as he looks at the out cold Serah. Lightnings eyes met the pilots and says in response,

"I already told you that."

Sahz didn't break contact with Lightnings hard cerulean blue eyes and tells her once more,

"Pulse L'cie are enemies of Cocoon." And he slowly reaches for his pistol in his right gun holster. Lightning saw this and jerks away from him.

"*Gasp!* So they should die?" She tells the man with brutal bitterness in her gaze and the protector part of her acted out in order to keep Serah from harm that would be done to her. Sahz stops midway from reaching his pistol and tells the former SOLDIER member,

"Listen, if she fails her focus you know how that'll end."

"And killing her is a mercy?" Lightning just sounded like she doesn't want to believe him, she turned away from his words, but she knew what he said was the truth but didn't have the will to kill her own sister. Unlike the missions she took on when a targets a target and nothing more, Serah was a target but she was her sister. When Lightnings eyes were either closed or looking away Serah raised her hand to get her older sisters attention and she did once their cerulean blue eyes made contact.

"You came..." Serah says in a weak voice.

"Serah!" Lightning says in surprise as she lays her sister on her back upon the ground as she used her arm to support her head up.

"SERAH!" When both sisters looked up it was Snow who came sprinting beside the two that cried the younger Farron's name.

"Is that... My hero?" Serah asks the blond man in the same weak voice as he knelt down beside her and took her hand into his large 'paws.'

I stood beside Vanille who looks and gasps at the sight of Serah.

'Your not the only one who knows what your hiding Nille... I know too but I won't say a word. It might be better to stay quiet than say anything.' I thought to myself and continued to watch the events unfold before my eyes.

"Come on let's get you outta here." Snow says gently as he was about to take the young Farron into his arms. Lightning stops him and says sternly,

"Hands off! I'm taking her home." Snow looks at how Lightning reacted and says quietly to the elder Farron,

"But sis..."

"I'm not your sister! " Lightning shouts in rage that she held in and lashed out at the large man.

"You couldn't protect her, it's your fault she-!"Before she could continue to blame the blond man any further of the previous events that occurred to let this be the outcome she was interrupted

"Save us..." Serah says in a tired tone as she got both Snows and Lightnings attention focused on her.

The two look at Serah who uttered those words.

"Serah?" Snow says only her name and waits for the young pinknette to continue.

"You can save us... Protect us all... Save... Cocoon..." Serah once again says in a tired tone but it sounds more like she's falling asleep.

"Save cocoon?Serah, that was your focus.?" Lightning tries to push her sister for more information but she seemed like Serah didn't have much time left.

"I'll do it, I'll do anything. Leave it to me you'll see, Ill protect Cocoon ill save everyone!" Snow proclaims as he promises Serah he would fulfill her promise. Lightning looks away for a second and says in a regretful tone,

"Somehow I'll make this right.."

"You just relax..." Snow says warmly to his future fiancé. Serah smiles gentle, closes her eyes, and mutters softly,

"... Thank you..."

"Serah!" Lightning cries as soon as something starts to happen the her sister.

Suddenly Serah begins to be lifted off the ground and into the air, a brilliant light emanates from her being. Ice begins to encase her arms until her entire body is frozen within layers of ice; not ice but crystal. A lone light falls and Snow catches it in his hand, it's the final tear Serah has shed before entering crystal stasis.

"Serah, Serah!" Snow cries to her and tries to reach out to Serah but fails to do so. Lightning looks like she's in utter shock and stares at Serahs crystallized body.

"She.. Turned to crystal..." Vanille says in disbelief but I saw right through her reaction like it didn't occur.

"L'cie who fulfill their focus turn into crystal and gain eternal life." Hope explains to Vanille in a monotone like voice after she asked what had happened to the pink haired girl.

"Just like the stories say.." Sahz says after Hopes explanation.

"Serah, sweet dreams..." Snow says to the crystallized Serah. Lightning pushes Snow into the ground and shouts at him in anger,

"Sweet dreams?! Serah isn't sleeping! Serahs!... She's!..."

"Serahs alive!" Snow began, being the chummy and optimistic guy he was.

"No!" Lightning yelled at him, rejecting the idea that Serah was alive, she just couldn't bear the thought that she already lost her sister. The only family she had left.

"The legends! Remember the legends! L'cie who complete their focus turn to crystal and are given eternal life. It's the same with Serah! Eternal life she's not dead. Serahs my bride to be and I promised to hers forever, I don't care how many years I have to wait I'll-" Snow starts to tell the former SOLDIER girl but then Lightning ,out of the blue, brings her right arm back and strikes Snow with her fist knocking the towering guy onto the ground.

"It's over! Open your eyes and face reality!" The former SOLDIER member shouts with rage in her voice.

Snow does nothing but now the entire building begins to shake violently its hard to keep a firm ground,

"What's that?!" Someone cried in fear but I forgot who it was.

"It's the army!" I think it was Sahz who said in reply to whoever asked what was happening.

* * *

With everything done and the shaking is over with Snow moves toward the new door that had opened up, Lightning walks ahead of him then everyone moves toward the doorway hiding Anima but I remained in place.

"Anima... Time to meet it too..." Then I follow behind the group.

* * *

"So.. This is a Fal'cie?" Hope says with awe and dread in his voice as he turned to me and I merely nod.

"Serahs and crystal now, you gave her a focus and she did it! You got what you want. Now let her go!" Snow says toward Anima who ignores him. He drops to his knees and begs.

"Please, I'll do it. I'll become a L'cie instead!" He says loudly with desperation.

Lightning strides over with her Blazefire Saber and says angerly,

"Fine you go on begging, like this thing gives a Damn what we want!"

She then strikes the metal shell of Anima and grunts in frustration each blow she deals has more power in it that she is thrown aback by her own attack.

"Lightning!" Snow says suddenly.

"It's this things fault everything started and its people that's dying. Serah told us to save Cocoon, that means this thing needs to die!"

I couldn't stay quiet I had to interven somehow, being indirect.

"Killing this Fal'cie doesn't Change the fact there are more, destroying this one will be replaced by something else and that replacement will continue to make more L'cie. Ever thought of that SOLDIER?"

Soon everything begins to come alive, valves and knotches and gears start turning and hissing signaling Anima is awakening. Hope tries to run only to be stopped by a force feild that won't let anything in nor out. Vanille goes over to aid him, while I stand and watch the fight begins.

Anima awakens and strikes with a seismic attack that hits the ground, Snow and Sahz isn't able to dodge it though Lightning somersaults into the air and evaded the attack. She raises her gun blade and charges, she hits Anima directly though only sounds of metal hitting metal could be heard with rage filled grunting this shows Anima won't be easy to beat like this.

'Time to move..'

I draw my buster blade and charge at the Fal'cie, Snow and Sahz and Lightning exchange blows with mechanical artificial intelligence that shows no signs it's being harmed any time soon and though the fight started ten minutes ago the three are looking winded except Lightning is fueled by her hate now.

"Wait until I take out its extra arms then attack!" I shout to the trio.

They turn to look at me but they just continue attacking Anima directly, I got close enough to the 'extra arms' and start slashing but my blade cannot cut through.

'What? No way! It's metal is stronger than the Pantherons?"

'wheerarerr...'

I looked up and I am sent hurling back into the wall that AI brought up, the force leaves me breathless and I fall to the ground with a loud thud and a clang beside Vanille and Hope. Pain and shock envelopes my body until I feel numb and disorted.

'This is really different than the game... Damn what can any of us do to beat this thing?'

Anima continues to attack with his extra power and casts darkness at the three who dodges out of the way but a sudden explosion is made creating smoke and debris blinding its opponents making them cough and vulnerable. It attacks and knocks Snow and Sahz back into the wall leaving Lightning to fight on her own.

I slowly get up and grab my buster blade with my left hand, somehow at its touch my sword begins to glow and crackle like before same with my arm electricity if flowing through my arm into my blade and into my entire body giving me strength and energy to go on. I stand with my sword raised and charge again, Anima doesn't seem to notice me so I pull my blade back and swing sideways at the left moving weapon and it cuts right through like butter. The engine is gone with wires and oil spilling out like blood, Anima is screeching so I charge sideways and attack the next one and it too is lobed off, bleeding out profusely. Now the Fal'cie seems to have weakened and looks like it is losing too much of its source, taking advantage of this I strike at Animas chest and made a large deep cut that it bleeds out oil greatly it practically scratches at the wound. I turn to the others who was fighting Anima earlier and shout at them,

"Go, now! Attack it while its hurt!"

Snow and Sahz were about to attack until Lightning came out of nowhere and drove her Blazefire saber into Animas chest practically delivering the death blow. Once the AI is still she removes her weapon and lands besides me, the electricity is gone and things were back to the way it was before.

"How did you-"

Before she could finish that sentence the floor beneath us glows a bright green color then the floor vanishes leaving all of us floating in mid air, I look up to see Anima restarted itself and has green vine like tentecles surrounding it. A vine attaches itself onto someone until I saw one connect to me, the vine pierced into my right shoulder and I see nothing but darkness. The darkness is replaced by vague images that look familiar though I can only make out small details, those details were enough to show I had the same vision too.

The vision of Ragnorak.

* * *

A/N: yes! I'm done! Took me a long while to make this... I hope this was okay dispite how I type and all. hope this was good and please review on how I'm doing so far, what I need to change, need to improve, ect would be appreciated. Hopefully the next chapter won't take this long to update, though until then Ciao.


	4. My dream: side story

A/N: finally the next chapter is up, well more of a short side story,this is actually a shorter chapter that pertains mainly to the vision Mel saw after seeing Ragnarok. The next chapter will be up soon after this one enjoy!.

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My vision:

Darkness, nothing but the cold and endless opaque void of nothin tangling me within its heartless net. I must be dead that fall had surely claimed my life, am I in purgatory, is this a new hell? Or am I still being judged to where my soul will go? I am not sure...

'come here... Interloper...'

A distant voice calls out to me though I find nothing for it is so dark it might as well be a black veil over my eyes, one I am unable to remove.

soon the darkness is being over powered by something white and blinding... It was the light that casted the shadows away and my sight had been returned to me.

"You have come, you have heard me calling out to you interloper." The voice says to me. I look around in this pure white world to be sent crashing down elsewhere, back to the shadows. My eyes opened on their own and I am staring at a throne made of crystal high upon the ground in the air about less than several feet high. The throne had been made up of different shades of blue crystal it looks so beautiful, then my eyes looks at myself to see my clothes were replaced with silver and gold armor:

A silver fitted chest plate with my right shoulder exposed by the pauldron, my left shoulder covered by a golden gardbrace, my arms are encased in silver placards, arming point, rerebrace, couter, vambrace, tuille and gauntlets. My waist and hips were covered by a pure white cloth that acted as a fauld to protect my hips ,though having black clothing under my armor, my legs were protected by silver cuisse for my calfs, my thighs were protected by silver poleyne and greaves, my feet covered by matching solerets. My blades were the same only with a strange symbol on them.

Again looking at the throne I realize I am in the world of Vallhalla where the Goddess Etro rules, where time and history coexist and are non existent all the same. The throne and I are within the shrine of Etro and sitting upon the throne is a crystallized figure beginning to awaken. I step back a few steps to see golden light emanating from the crystal being;

The blue crystal begins to crack and more light flows out, in seconds the crystal figure is lifted of the throne and into the air and the substance shatters;though not the crystal that surrounded the being like Vanilles crystal form, to reveal that foolhardy and caring and strong pink haired warrior of Etro.

"Lightning..." I say slowly almost unable to recognize my own voice.

SOLDIER, no, the protector of Etro appears bare at firs. Until the light surrounding her faded and replaced itself with Lights former SOLDIER uniform. She is gently placed in front of me standing with her eyes closed, then they open to reveal that striking cerulean blue eyes that looks directly into my neutral brown eyes. She slowly smirks and strides over to me, I stand and look at her upon equal level, I'm an inch taller than Light, to greet her.

"It has been what, over five hundred years since you called me here? You finally awakened good... Welcome back Lightning..."

Lightning looks over the rails of the shrine to reveal all of Vallhalla to her and history along with time. She is quiet at first until she speaks,

"Cocoon is high within the sky like it had been when I last saw it, Gran Pulse is covered in crystal dust since the pillar had collapsed, our friends our safe but I see the world has changed much greater than I hoped right?"

I feel guilt and sorrow fill my throat I couldn't breath, I swallowed the emotions and answered her,

"It changed much greater than I had thought as well... The world became nothing but four different worlds connected by the power of Vallhalla, where the inhabitants are anxious and praying for a miracle. They had lost hope two hundred years ago, I did all that I could but the power of chaos overwhelmed me... I could only keep it at bay for a while now the shadows are creating outlets to enter the worlds, but that isn't why I waited so long for you to return Lightning..."

Lightning turns to look at me I see something shimmering in her azure eyes, something I thought the world had lost; Hope and strength, the power she had ever since to protect those she cared for no matter what happened to her. I look up to see the twenty one year old standing a feet away from me, I stare into her eyes and she says with a calm stern voice,

"Tell me everything that had happened while I was asleep during my crystal stasis, tell me everything and don't hold anything back on me."

She placed a hand on my shoulder and sounds almost like she pleading but isn't,

"Please, don't hold anything back from me unlike in the past."

I smile sheepishly and she flashes the same smile she gave to the silver haired Hope with the gang. I then tell her what I knew,

"Somehow chaos had been rearranging everything thus created the four worlds surrounded by water and darkness, it is said that this is humanities last stand and that someone needs to smite the shadows away for eternity. I did all I could but I am not that someone, Light you are the only one left as far as I know... Everyone else I'm not sure of about no matter how many years passed I think I still feel them alive and kicking... Off subject, anyway you are the only one that can save everyone from the power of chaos you don't have much time left..."

Lightnings eyes show shock and surprise, she grips both of my shoulders and presses me for more informations.

"Not much time left? What do you mean, why don't I have much time left?"

I stare into her eyes again with no expression and continue,

"Lightning, it flashes bright then fades away. It can't protect, it only destroys... But you can protect, you are Lightning and you can save the world even if you have to fade away like you told me once... The only reason why you don't have much time is because..."

I swallow my fear and completed my sentence,

"Because the world will be destroyed in merely thirteen days..."

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A/N: well whatdoya think of her vision? This pertains to the story trust me for I will be making a 13 and 13-2 fanfic with hint of 13-3 that I want to get ahold of already! But must sadly wait until 2013 (ha! 13 in the year 2013...) well yeah anyway the next chapter will be made soon, please leave a comment, review, whatever to see how I'm doing, what needs to be done or needs to be corrected... Till next time Ciao!


	5. Vile Peaks: part 1

A/N: okay first I wanna apologize for the teaser it was a thought I had while making the fourth chapter, that got erased suddenly earlier, so I made it as a small side story... Anyway lets move onto the next part of the story shall we? Enjoy!

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Lightnings POV:

'Honestly this isn't working for me; I'm branded as a Pulse L'cie with a focus of the fabled Ragnarok as the enemy of Cocoon, became a wanted fugitive wanted by the army and my former comrades in arms and I'm traveling with what seems to be a hopeless bunch, especially ones that don't seem to understand our situation at hand nor are going to help me fulfill Serahs last wish before she- no! I mustn't think such weak thoughts, if I do then I will be taken down and everything will have been for naught. A retired pilot, a bubbly girl who seems to always smile at everything and not show she cares about our predicament, and a boy whose only reaction is fear that hides behind the happy go lucky kid. They don't seem like they want to survive now but that girl Hope and Vanille came with back at Hanging Edge concerns me, she is resourceful but something about her seems off like she isn't from Cocoon or anywhere else. A visitor maybe? Well whoever she is I better keep an eye on her, she might be onto something she doesn't want the rest of us to know.'

I continue my constant stride walking ahead of the group though I peak over my shoulder to see that girl, Mel Winters? I think, is walking along side Vanille probably admiring this dump with the red head...

'She must know something we don't, I am going to find out what she is keeping to herself one way or another be it useful or not...'

* * *

Mel's POV:

Man Vile peaks looks more ominous and eerie than in the game especially you can hear the growls and howling of the mechanical artificial intelligence wandering around and the hisses and cries of the Succubus and the Incubus. It didn't even smell like a rotting dump at all when I played the game and I imagined what it would be like.

"This place is different somehow though, wonder where are we?" I asked myself.

"What do you mean this place looks different? You been here before kiddo?"

I looked up with shock and embarrassment in my expression, was I talking that loudly? Oh man what do I do, no what do I say?!, to see Sahz looking back at me with his eyebrows raised probably in suspicion.

"I thought this place was off limits to civilians, you got access here or what?" The old pilot asks.

Okay it's time to come up with an excuse or a lie, they won't see me again anyway so why not? Not like its going to hurt anybody, right?

I put on my straight poker face and told Sahz my wild, small maybe, telltale.

"Well my dad used to work for the Sanctum as a Captain of the Strike Force, he always had access to these sorts of places anyway because he pretty much was also head of Security once if ya know what I mean? Anyway he was always fascinated by history especially with the war of transgression so he came here to admire the ruins and the light Phoenix gave off at night, he brought me here with him couple of times when I was younger but that was a long time ago..."

Luckily I took a bit of acting classes at school and used to be in drama club before entering wrestling so I know how to make my stories believe able and leaving my companions in suspense in a way.

"A long time ago? What happened?" The pilot sounded like he wanted to know more even though I am spouting lies. I continued with sadness in my eyes and expression,

"My dad was killed on a mission few years back, someone accidentally activated a bomb ,that was supposed to have been delivered to the weapons test site in Gapra Whitewood, during inventory and since my dad was driving the cargo, unknowing what was going on with his shipment, was killed in the explosion. Only reason why I know because everyone in his Battalion knew my dad and me so they had to be blunt because he was him and I was his daughter... I was left alone with no one and everything to my name but he was the only family I had left... I lived alone trying to get by with the army and my dads friends help but I never felt the same again after that... I decided to follow his footsteps once things get sorted out, well one day maybe..."

Somehow he and the others buys my lie, but did what I say actually happen? Am I really alone, with no family to look out for me? I am not sure anymore... What's going on with me? This world it must be changing me... I can't remember much from my own home like I'm becoming apart of this fantasy, no I have to get home that is my own resolve... But what is home for me anyway? All I can remember clearly is the events of this world, I need to work fast but at this pace it's unlikely to happen...

'GEERRUP!'

"What was that?" Hope asks suddenly upon hearing that weird sound too.

We stop to look at one another to find the source of the sound to see Vanille standing with her arms crossed around her stomach with her face a bit pink and smiles sheepishly.

"Somebody's hungry huh? Well we could stop and have a bite to eat right SOLDIER?" Sahz says to Lightning who just continues to walk ahead without the rest of us.

"Hey hey hey! Wait! You gonna keep walking without eating first? Are you trying to be suicidal like that SOLDIER girl?" The old pilot cries out hysterically after the stoic pink haired woman who stops and gives him that hard glare in those blue eyes and has the sense like she's trying to say 'are we going to have this conversation again?'

"Like I had said before the army is tracking us and will stop at nothing until we are captured. If you want to eat fine go on ahead, blame yourselves when the Sanctum has you in chains. Besides, how are you all planning to eat when we do not carry any rations?" Lightning says with slight irritation in her voice.

For some reason Sahz, Hope and Vanille point at me and I just unzipped my backpack, that I took from a beaten PSICOM tracker, with my hand in the bag. Light raises an eyebrow and gives a 'what the hell' look in her eyes with her face cool as a fox.

"What? I bought these from the floating chip we passed by a while ago, that was why I took a bit to catch up. I found out that the chip didn't only sell weapons and accessories but food and drinks too. Anyway..."

I began digging into my pack and grabbed out light snacks of strawberry, vanilla, chocolate treats, bag of chips and water. Nille went straight for the vanilla Pocky cookies, Hope went for the chips and Sahz went after the energy bars( he thought they would give him energy but I didn't tell him). Light remained in her spot only her back was to us, she had her blaze fire saber held firmly in her dominant right hand. The three were sitting around talking but I remained looking at the starry sky with the moon replaced by a moonlight glowing Phoenix and being oblivious to the conversation. Minutes went by and the others were still eating and drinking a bit more to fill them, constantly reminding them to not over do it other wise they would need to use the bathroom soon, but SOLDIER didn't have a thing since our break. Actually I'm surprised she stayed, thought she would have left by now, I guess she really is caring and foolhardy then.

'Wish I had a sister like her, or Serah or Vanille heck or even like Fang! They could be cool and strong role models for me to follow or look up to... Too bad I'm an only child... Maybe I should check up on her, these three won't Mind...'

I stood up with a bottle water in one hand and a nutrition bar in the other and walked cautiously over to the former sergeant. I know she would attack me if I'm not careful, even being careful she would hurt me... Lets try.

"Hey Lightning! Thought you might want some-"

I stopped and fell on my back to see Blaze fire saber etched into scraps of metal with the blade gone through like the rusty metal was nothing but air. My heart raced once Light stood over me with her eyes blazing and her face matching her anger.

"Next time warn me before you could of lost your head..." She says.

"I-I was trying to b-bring you something to k-keep your strength up was all!" I said stammering. Light looked at me with her eyes shifting then took the water muttering something under her breath.

'Man she's different here than in the game like everyone else... Maybe I don't really know them like I thought!'

"Hey Lightning I'm going to scout on ahead, I'll be back in a bit."

Light only nods then turns her attention back skywards. I nod to myself and lightly clap my hands together and continue down the path.

* * *

"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck,

some nights I call it a draw!

And some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle,

some nights I wish they'd just fall off.

Well I still don't got!,

i still see your ghost,

oh Lord I'm still not sure what I stand for noo-ooh!

What do I stand for, oh what do I stand for!

Most nights, I don't know!"

While scouting I got bored and began singing "Some Nights" by FUN, it was actually peaceful despite the eerie feeling I had like I'm being watched while looking ahead without wandering around too far away from the group.

"Beep, bebebeep! Shuuu!"

"What was that?"

I began to look around until I heard footsteps rushing towards me, assuming it was the others I looked back to find no one until I realized to late the noise was ahead of me not behind.

"FREEZE!"

I look to see two PSICOM trackers holding up automatic .12 caliber machine guns aimed at me wearing their uniforms the colors of black, purple and silver.

"Keep your hands where we can see them! You have the right to remain silent, surrender at once and we can do things peacefully, we have orders to take you into custody filthy L'cie!" one of the trackers shouts aloud in a gruff and muffled males voice.

"Enough with the police talk already let's just take it into custody!" The other tracker says in an annoyed females voice.

I smirked while my arms were still raised over my head.

"What are you smiling at L'cie!?" The guy barked out at me.

"Nothing just something I thought of made me laugh." I reply.

"And what would that be?" The woman says slowly with her gun still raised.

"How much water can a person consume before passing out after stepping onto a wild and live electric power cord?"

Though their faces were concealed I think I confused them.

"What The Hell are you trying to say?!" The guy questions.

I smirk became a grin a bit,

"Find out."

I summoned water magic and it splashed at the trackers soaking them in cold water, then my left arm with the scars began glowing electric blue and a small bolt of lightning exploded from my hand and connected to the soaked pair shocking them and increasing the shock because of the water on them. They began screaming in pain then they fell to the ground out cold. I smile and head back to base where the others are at.

* * *

"What happened!? We heard screaming?" Sahz and Vanille ask me simultaneously once we made our way to the place the dreadnought look alike will be waiting at.

I smiled and reply,

"Just saw a few trackers get overwhelmed by a few pulsian mechanics."

Once the pile of rust and metal came into view the lower level dreadnought activated and saw our group.

"Well, whatever happened we need to deal with this thing to move on. Lets go!" Lightning says and the five of us began charging at the giant mecha ready to give it a fight of its life!

* * *

A/N: okay this is done hope it was good or at least interesting, next chapter will still take place in Vile Peaks. Next chapter will be updated soon as possible, until then Ciao and Merry Christmas!


	6. Vile Peaks: part 2

A/N: Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope its a great day today and everybody is having a nice time with presents, family, religion, etc! Anyways let's go to the next chapter of the story shall we? Enjoy!

* * *

Since we came upon the Dreadnaughts lair it was much harder to beat! It would have been much quicker since Hope and Sahz managed to blind the large mecha with strong fire and water spells but it just swiped the steam away and out of the way.

"Take this!" Lightning shouted as she charges at the Dreadnaught her eyes blazing with fury and annoyance with her gun blade ready to hack at it.

The Dreadnaught sees the SOLDIER and swings its arms at her, Light somersaults over the metal arm landing near the head.

"Alright!" Vanille shouted thinking victory will come soon while she tended to Hopes injuries after being knocked aside a while ago into a wall of trash.

"Hey Kid! Mind doing that trick you did back at Hanging Edge with this thing?" Sahz asks as he looks over to me with his dual pistols shooting endless rounds of bullets that seem to only bounce off the Dreadnaughts body.

"I'll see what I can do." I respond with a serious tone and gleam in my eyes.

I look at the mechanical enemy with Lightning bobbing and weaving out of the way of its massive swings with the arms set ablaze and Wrecking ball blast slashing and shooting at it in vain. It swings again with an extinguished arm and connects to Lightning sending her in mid air back a few feet, she uses her weapon to keep her from flying all the way by digging it into the dirt to stop herself from going any further. She pulls her blade out of the earth and charges again with Sahzs assistance.

"Come on SOLDIER! Faith! Bravery!" The old pilot cries out as he buffs Lightning to increase her melee strength and magic strength which became very helpful in the fight but did little more, but less than enough, damage.

"Can't you do anything to help Mel? I need to treat Hopes leg injury with cure, Sahz can't keep up with them and Lights getting towards her limits. Please help them!" Vanille cries to me. I look at her to see her forest green eyes are welling up with tears threatening to be shed, the Dreadnaught is much stronger her than in the game on normal mode and these guys even me are only human but with powers for a reason.

'It will be much harder to fight considering this thing conceals itself in the shadows and gets a preemptive strike when we search for it. My arm is idle and it isn't responding to the fight, what am I supposed to do? I cannot fight with these weapons I'll get killed and there will not be a game over restart for me! What to I do?' I thought as I began to panic while continuing to watch the fight.

"Listen to my voice..." A heavenly voice spoke through the wind, somehow the others are not fazed by the voice am I the only one who can hear it?

'If you want to survive then listen to my voice, Interloper..." The voice says in my head.

I felt groggy and lucid with everything around me feels like water that surrounds me. Darkness plaques my vision only to obscure the outter rims of my eyes with the center clear as the night would allow. The voice is silent but it doesn't seem to have left me.

"Okay now lets help Lightning, Mel you rea-? Mel?" Vanille says with concern in her voice once she stood with Hope beside Sahz with his boomerang out casting protect and shell buffs to everyone.

"Vanille!" He cries and the red head reluctantly responds to her comrades.

I remain frozen in place but my senses react on their own, without moving them to my will my hand reaches for my buster blade. I casted protect and shell around myself and charged with the blade being pulled behind me.

'Call out to the pilot and tell him this.' The voice says.

I nod and cry out to Sahz, my voice sounded monotone but urgent.

"Sahz cast flame strike at the center of its hands!"

"What?! That sounds crazy! It won't work!" He responds with disbelief in his voice.

"Just do it! Shoot at each palm six times, trust me!" I say back to him.

Sahz thinks for a second then agrees he mumbles something under his breath and takes aim. Then shoots.

'2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12... Good, they connected to the palms smoothly. They look like they powered down for a bit, need to take this chance now or we won't get another one. I turn to the other two and shout out their names over the carnage.

"Hope, Vanille!"

The two looks at me.

"yeah!?" They cried simultaneously looking at each other than back to the battle every two seconds.

"Listen to what I need you guys to do, you may not like it but it may help to bring this thing down!"

The two look at me waiting for me to respond.

"I need you two to send cure over to Lightning she needs healing, once she's back to good health Vanille I need you to use your binding rod to tie the Dreadnaughts arms together when the are raised over its head. Hope I need you to run in front of it and cast water at it, I'll cast thunder at it to short circuit it."

Hopes eyes went wide with terror to what I needed him to do.

"We tried that already! Besides, why do I have to go in front of it? That thing will blast me to oblivion!"

I gave him a serious stare right into his eyes.

"If you want to become stronger, to become braver, then defeat your inner demons and overcome your fear! Just to it, it's part of my plan just trust me!"

Hope looks afraid but in his eyes he knew I was right, he looks over to Vanille who smiles and nods at him then runs out of sight toward the Dreadnaught.

As if on que the Dreadnaught pulls both of its arms above its head ready to smash Lightning and Hope when Vanille siezes the opprotunity to cast her binding rod using the barbed tipped wires to entangle the arms together restraining them from mobility. It creaks and groans in frustration but isn't able to do much without its arms.

"I can't believe this is actually working." I say to myself feeling I having some sort of control over my body again.

' Do not celebrate just yet, your friends will not last so make haste. Here is what I want you to do...'

I listen intently and nod with the information I need. I charge with my blade drawn and shout out to Light.

"LIGHTNING!"

She stops looking at the Dreadnaught, but continues to attack, and looks at me.

"Run full throttle at me! Use my blade and your gun blade to end this fight!" I shout out to her.

Somehow she looks reluctant to hear me but does so anyway.

We run towards each other closing the distance between us, we are several meters away now let's end this.

"Jump!"

Soon the SOLDIER leaps into the air and her foot meets with my palm, I shout in defiance and used all the strength I have in my dominant right arm to shoot Lightning into the air higher than she was when she jumped on her own two feet. I swing my buster blade and threw it at Lightning who waits and catches the blade gracefully in her left hand swinging it around her body as she continues to gain height.

"AAAUGH!"

I look to see the Dreadnaught has regained control over its arms and pulls Vanille with her binding rod off the ground and slams her into Sahz who couldn't do anything to catch her in time nor keep his feet planted. Hope is frozen in his spot in front of the dreadnaught but continues casting water and ice spells at it to stagger it.

"Thunder!" I shoot pale yellow light from my palms and connects to whatever water remained on the metal, it crackles and electrocutes slowing it down but it continues to pursue Hope who runs the other way leading it away from Lightning.

"No, Hope lead back to where it was!" I shout but Hope doesn't hear me and continues to run.

Lightning begins to descend from her 60 feet height in the air and picks up velocity, enough momentum to slice right through but she'll end up breaking her legs without the metal slowing her fall. I casted fire and the mecha looks at me.

I became a sentinel and provoked the machine back to the center.

"Try that on me if you can!" I say teasingly then began doing taunting motions to agitate the machine.

It begins to charge and come straight for me.

'Wait for it...'

It draws nearer.

'Wait for it...'

It is about two minutes away.

"Now!" I shout skyward.

"My pleasure!"Lightning shouts and she brings her and my weapon down onto the mecha causing it to halt and soon be sliced in two. The two halves creak and both fall sideways with loud thuds.

"That was a hell of a fight, that's for sure. Well it's over that's all that matters now." Sahz says once we all regrouped.

"I can't believe that worked, you must be a good strategist for a kid." Vanille says trying to catch her breath with Hope leaning on his knees.

"Here, lets get moving." Lightning says after handing my weapon back to me and walks towards the exit.

"Man, we can't seem to catch a break..." Sahz groans again and follows, we all do it turn after the former sergeant ahead of us.

I feel my senses returning and I follow suit.

* * *

"So we gonna part ways here then?" Sahz asks once we came to stopped to rest upon a Pusian warship.

He and Light were mostly doing the talking but I stayed with Hope and Vanille on the ground looking skywards.

'The sky looks so nice here it outshines the skies back at home. But that doesn't mean we aren't connected under the same stars right?' I thought as I gazed at the Fal'cie Phoenix that laid with the clouds replacing the moon. I felt a hand on my shoulder to see the red headed girl beside me looking up into my eyes, I see her cheery disposition trying to hide her secrets but I can't let them know what I know, not yet at least.

"Want some company?" She asks with a bright smile on her face. I only look at her and the silver haired boy beside her and nod looking away, breaking our connected gaze.

"Sure..."

The two took a seat beside me and we began talking a bit. Hope asked if there will be something waiting for us around the corner but that is something we have to find out.

"Do you guys know what Gran Pulse is like? You know? Just out of curiosity..." I say out of the blue after Hope gave up on telling Vanille how soda and ice cream are not meant to be lumped together with Flans slime, who she thinks has a distinct flavor...

"Pulse is the lower world that is just below Cocoon, it was the inhabitants from below that managed to crack Cocoons outer shell though no real harm came to the people as far as history tells us. All we know is that Pulse is an evil place, a hell on earth, and we got entangled with it..." Hope says as he responds with his Cocoon side of him. Though he doesn't see it Vanille looks hurts by his words but quickly hides her sudden pain.

"What if... What if Gran Pulse isn't as bad as we all thought? What if its a beautiful place that is misunderstood? Maybe, maybe we could all visit there someday..." Vanille says softly. Hope is taken aback and tries to retaliate but I intervene.

"Come on Hope, your just acting afraid because of whatever lies people fed ya while growing up. Maybe if we all gave it chance and look we could see for ourselves if, as you had put it, Gran Pulse is really a hell on earth or just a nice place that nobody understood despite what history says."

"Yeah Hope at least give it a shot." Vanille adds in as she looks at him with pleading eyes.

Hope tries to look away but is defeated by the red heads eyes and agrees.

"Alright! Then it's a promise then! One day we'll go and visit Gran Pulse and see what it is like for ourselves." Vanille says as she has my hand and Hopes hand in each of her with each of our pinkies intertwined with one another.

"A promise to see Gran Pulse together, now none of us will have to forget our promise." She says slowly. Hope and I look at each other and slowly, somehow agree with her. She lets go and wanders over by the airship and sits over the ledge of the wing and swings her legs back and forth innocently. Hope and I follow only I began to fall asleep once I reached the top beside the two.

"Maybe we should rest here for a bit, is that okay to do Farr-uh, Lightning?" I ask to the stoic and quiet pinknette who looks down at me from her spot a bit higher up and for some reasons unknown agrees to rest.

Sighs of relief escapes everyone else's lips and they lie down trying to get comfortable. As always Lightning stays up to keep watch, I climb my way upward but I give her a heads up before she actually slashes me to bits.

"Mind if I join ya?" I ask. Light only looks at me then back to scouting the area with a light scoff.

I merely sigh to her response and sit a bit near the stoic woman, I look up to her to see her face expressionless but her eyes have that lost hope gaze. Again I sigh and I try to make small talk.

"Hey, just because we became L'cie doesn't mean it's the end of the world... Okay maybe it is but this journey has just begun and this could turn out for the best or the for the worst."

"If your trying to say something then say it, I don't have time to play guessing games..." Light snapped at me with little patience in her voice.

At first I was startled but I sighed and began thinking of what to tell her. I thought and I spoke out my thoughts.

"What I'm trying to say is that this journey could be part of fates design to show that we control our own fates even when things seem bleak. Like with Serah, how you looked when we found her crystallized body at Lake Bresha. You looked so defeated even now you do, though you try to hide it I can see that you lost hope in yourself and in probably everything. Trust me never give up, don't let despair consume you and no matter what never lose hope it is what keeps even the blind man from seeing the truth other than nothing." I say trying to sound mystical, Light looks at me and surprise appears in her eyes but vanishes. She turns to face me and asks,

"What is it that you know? What you are not telling us? I know you are keeping secrets locked away inside of you, if your trying to help than why don't you come clean with me with the rest of us?"

I stare intently into those azure eyes that gleams with a new fire in them suck between a self stale mate of wanting to tell and keeping quiet. I'm not sure what I will have to face in the future if I told her I know what will happen, maybe I can tell her about me.

"Okay I will come clean, for now but I won't tell you everything..." I inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly.

"My name is Mel Kaveror Winters, I am sixteen years old. A night ago I was home then a storm came along and I ended up here... I just don't know how but here I am. If you haven't figured it out I wasn't born on Cocoon;"

Light looked a bit shocked in her eyes but didn't question. I continued.

"I wasn't born on Cocoon nor Gran Pulse, I was born on an island called Oahu waiting for tomorrow back home to go to school, see my friends, study hard, go to wrestling practice, come home to see my family... But I ended up here instead after the storm."

I pull my left arm forward to reveal my lightning scarred arm that was struck and gave me the power to produce natural lightning.

"This is what remained, a reminder that I was actually home during the storm now as I continue this journey I may not have lost hope yet but my memories of home are slowly slipping away so much that I can't seem to remember what home is anymore, like this place is making me have here instead." I sigh feeling sadness tugging at my heart but I continued not sure if SOLDIER is still listening or not.

"My resolve is to go back home where I belong, it is the only way for me to be free if you will..."

I stand and stretch my arms and legs a bit then look at the pink haired watch guard. I smile for some reason, maybe Vanille rubbed off on me, then turn to go down back to my spot but stop to hear this,

"Just so you know I'm keeping a close watch on you. The others may trust you but I don't, not yet at least. There's something about you that I don't like and I will eventually figure out what that something is, got it?"

I don't look at the stern woman when she spoke those words, she's too suspicious of me and doesn't trust me well enough, since we were in lake Bresha and I told her where Serah was and what would be waiting for us there her eyes wouldn't leave me not even now. A small sad smile forms on my lips all I said to the SOLDIER before I fell asleep or before I made it to my spot was,

"Alright and I believe you, night Lightning..."

* * *

A/N: yay I am done! Hopefully this was good, interesting, etc... Well she revealed something to Light but not about what she knows like Light wanted to know. Well please leave a review, comment, criticism to see how I did what I need to fix whatever, til the next chapter is updated Ciao!


	7. Odin, Come!

A/N: oh man! It's already 2013, which is good because 13-3 comes out this year and all. Well hope everyone had a great New Years and hope this is a good/interesting chapter to start the year, yea? Okay enjoy!

* * *

Time, how long has it been? How much had passed me by? The shadows never took pity on me and began to play their malicious and dark melody again within the depths of my thoughts.

"Where are you! I'll save everyone! NOOOO! Killing her is a mercy?! Not like I had a choice! Mommy?"

Endless swirls of others thoughts or memories filled inside of me taunting me to go insane, I cover my ears to block out the sounds of desperation the sounds of failure bringing everything down due to everyone's ignorance to everything! Where are my own thoughts? The ones I have been clinging onto, the ones that let me remember who I am? Where I am from? It is only the beginning of the fantasy, now it had succeeded in dragging me down along with it damned inhabitants...

"What will become of me now?" I asked myself as I gazed through the darkness that entangled me within its vice of voice keeping me trapped in the glassy ice coldness of the demons of the darks embrace.

I felt my hope and light fade away, will I ever return to whence I came?

* * *

My eyes opened indolently gazing skyward to the dark starry night, I felt real groggy as I pulled myself back together from my haunting dream. What the hell is going on with me now?

"Your finally awake. Thought you wouldn't come to." A voice beside me says.

I turned my head slowly to the left to see SOLDIER sitting beside me her expression still stoic with a wandering gaze in her cerulean eyes.

"Sahz and Vanille went on ahead of us, thought they could go their own way beside the one we are walking on. They wanted you to go with them but they thought it was best for you and the kid to remain with me." She says calmly and with ease etched into her voice.

'Lightning is acting different, I wonder why?' I thought to myself as Light continues to stare at the stars.

"How long have I-" I started until I was interrupted.

"An hour at best, I used whatever components we collected and with the weaponry within the bag you stole I rigged a few places to slow the army down for a while but now we need to get going." Lightning says to me.

She rises to her feet and walks over to the edge of the Pulsian airships wing and stops, I stood on my feet and noticed this. She turns her head a bit and says something.

"The army is drawing closer now, I doubt the traps I set will decrease their numbers that much. Whatever motivates them they will continue to hound us relentlessly. You better be ready for a hell of a battle, and remember that I will watch you if things turn bad do you understand?" The Sargent says this with such strength and authority I was sweating bullets in my mind.

Gently I nod in response trying to not let my fear show she jumps out of view and I no longer see her.

"This fantasy shall not claim me, I will succeed and return home! Better keep up!" I say to myself with great flow of energy coursing through my veins giving me the courage to follow the Sergeants actions to take a leap of faith and land lightly upon the ground of the Vile Peaks.

* * *

Hopes POV:

'I wonder where we are going, we had been walking through this dump for a while and it never seems to end! Like that never ending labyrinth that continued forever in the story mom used to tell me when I was younger... Mom... It was _his_ fault! He has to pay for what he had done! I'll get stronger and make sure he gets what's coming to him! For what it is worth I will never forgive him until he is dead!'

I look up to see that lady with the pink hair walking kind of fast so I try to keep up but I still feel exhausted from the previous fight we just had with those bird like creatures, the girl about my age, I think it's a girl... Not sure since the person appears androgynous and all, told me they were called Incubus and Succubus that they used things called debuff magic attributes to lower and/or weaken their enemies that confront them in battle... Wonder what else she knows?

We soon come across a bridge and the girl gasps, her eyes widen with something and she has her hand on one of her blades hilt. What does she see?

"Hope stay close to me just in case..." She says in a low whisper.

"What? Why?" I try to ask until I see the SOLDIER woman stop on the center of the bridge and looks back at us.

"This isn't working, I mean you two are a liability. You'll only slow me down." She says darkly.

"What? Wait you can't just leave me here!" I say out of protest. The girl gripped my shoulder and pulls me back behind her.

"Lightning what the hell is the matter with you? First you wanted us to tag along now you want to abandon us?" She shouts at the woman.

The lady walks closer and shouts back,

"The army is coming after us and you two will only get in my way! And I don't have time to babysit!"

I wanted to say something until a brilliant light of pink and red surrounded the soldier with these symbols appearing beneath her, she kneels in pain clutching her shirt with her hand but she continues to talk.

"I don't have time to babysit, especially two hopeless kids like you!" She grunts in pain then the girl speaks.

"Lightning stop! This isn't you! Stop rejecting your feelings, stop listening to your training! Your meant to protect civilians not abandon them in their time of need! What the hells gotten into you!?"

It was like she ignored everything Mel shouted out to her only anger and fierceness escaped her lips that made me tremble with such fear and anxiety I couldn't hide it anymore that I collapsed on my knees.

"If you want to get stronger, do it on your own!"

* * *

Mel's POV:

'Crap! She just did it! She's summoning Odin her eidolon, what the hell possessed her to change her mind so much? Is it, is it because she was meant to or is it due to my appearance? Who cares right now?! I need to get Hope and Lightning out of this mess! Or else the storms will obliterate us!'

Lightning is still kneeling with her hand clenching her chest the light is growing intense! Soon the light fades and it is replaced with the white, grey and golden warrior of the skies;

Odin itself...

"Oh man!" I cry out as Odin has zantetsuken ready in its right hand and the ullrs shield in the other. It's glazed violet shining eyes glowing intensely and it has its sights on Lightning who doesn't get up to move out of the way!

"Hope I need you to cast protect and shell on the three of us, but I need you to stay as far away as possible I won't let that thing hurt you got it?!" I cried to him.

"What?! But you were the one who told me to stand up and face my demons! I can't back away right now! I have to help!" He replies urgently.

I sigh deeply trying to figure out what to say to change his mind though he is right he needs to face his demons, difference is this is Lightnings demon not his... Okay...

"Alright but if something happens and you can't handle it run and hide okay!?" I say sounding defeated.

"Got it, Shell! Protect! Blizzard!" He cries as he suddenly charges at Odin.

"What the hell Hope! Hope don't charge at it you'll get killed!" But my cries were too late, Odin senses Hopes blizzard spell and reflects the spell with its shield sending it straight at Lightning. She sees the oncoming spell but won't move!

"Lightning.!" I cry toward the idle SOLDIER and sprint to the center of the bridge and used my buster blade as a shield feeling only a slight tingle in my spine with a small shudder.

"What... The hell... Are you two doing? Get out of here, run!" Lightning says weakly almost as if the white knights appearance is suffocating the wind out of her lungs, wait in the game don't the eidolons cast Doom upon the summoner they emerged from? Oh no...

"Lightning please we came and stayed to help we can't abandon you like this!" I say desperately. Lightning shrugs her shoulders in pain trying to catch her breath while Hope is distracting the knight with his water, fire and blizzard spells only to be weakened early in the fight due to his fear and anxiety that chains him down.

'She won't have much time! I need to do something or else her story won't continue... I got a plan but it won't be easy to do...'

"Hope!" I shout to the silver haired boy who evades a volt of electricity in time from Odin's spell to hear me, while the knight has Ullr shield raised momentarily.

"Yeah? What do you need at a time like this?! If we don't do something then that thing will rip us to shreds!" He replies. I inhale and respond to him.

"I need you to take Lightning away from here, as far as you can go. I'll stay behind and keep it busy, you two have to make it out of here, go to Gapra Whitewood from this path and reach to Palumpolum. You two need to survive!" I say sadly.

Hopes eyes widen as did SOLDIERs upon hearing this.

"But-!"

"Don't try to say anything otherwise, I'll keep it distracted just run!"

I am not sure what they are feeling right now but all I know is that they don't want to leave me behind, but this is the choice I made and I plan to stick to it till the end or until I have come out victorious!

Hope pulls Light over him shoulder, straining from her dead weight, and walks over the bridge leaving me and the knight alone. Odin sees Lightning is walking away and his ruby eyes flash intense red, he charges but I stand in the way with my buster blade raised and said to it, out of instinct,

"You will have to kill me first before you can get anywhere near them..."

* * *

Omni POV:

The night breeze began to pick up creating howling and groaning sounds emerging from within the peaks also making whatever light weight materials flow along with the wind. Odin had remained motionless in place feeling enraged since his primary target had fled the fight though feels that the woman will die due to his Doom spell he casted upon her, he wants no he yearns desperately to watch the flow of blood run out of his victim taking pleasure from it as the red iron substance stains his hands and sword. The only thing keeping him from achieving that is this stubborn and pathetic child standing before him with her weapon drawn pathetically he can sense her fear and her body shaking, though her eyes have a rare fire that he feels is familiar to him and sees that woman in the girls place rather than the girl entirely. He swings Zantetsuken through the air and the air around them disappears, he lunges then sprints at the girl. She somehow sees this god like speed and moves aside using her blade to deflect Odin's, the two swords clash and sparks fly making waves of strong winds around them. The force of Zantetsuken sends the girl an inch or two down into the dirt slightly trapping her feet,her muscles straining from the force. Odin sees a window of opportunity and swings his shield which connects to the girls rib cage, cracking two ribs, sending her into a large pile of metal creating a large explosion that no one could survive from.

Odin feels the girl no longer lives and moves on but a warm feeling washes over him, he turns and a golden light emerges from where Mel crashed at and the materials around the light began levitating in the air and came a figure that wasn't his first opponent.

Odins eyes flash to emerald scanning at whatever is appearing to find his senses failing, this person has no soul or anything connecting them to life at all! He raises his blade into the air, fist gripping the hilt, and summons thundara the bright flash of golden lightning crashing down on the presence. The presence reveals their palm and points it skyward obsorbing the energy remaining unscathed.

'What is it that the Mother never revealed to me in my time of victory?' Odin thinks to itself as it stares at the shrouded figure. The cloud of smoke dissipates and reveals the figure to be Lightning herself standing with her head held high her Blazefire Saber in her right hand tightly fastened in her grip, the SOLDIER has an expresionless face but her eyes are twisted with rage and determination. What amazed the white knight was she didn't look like she was in any pain as it witnessed before when she was kneeling clutching her chest tightly as if it would lessen the tight excrutiating pain that wrapped itself upon and within the womans being, body and soul.

"If you want you want a fight your going to get one right now!" Light says and charges.

The knight sees her movements and swings skyward right in front of it but misses as the woman somersaults to the left to evade the attack and slash at the warriors sheild to slash it in two. Odin ,shocked, is forced to seperate its Zantetsuken from one into two blades to attack and defend. Lightning suddenly swings her blade and herself around doing a 360 degrees and with an inhumane strength shatters the knights blades and scars its chestplate leaving a deep black wound in place.

"Now return from whence you came and revive yourself as my ally, the knight that protects the weak and aids the strong in battle. come forth and revive, ODIN!" Lightning shouts defiantly and a golden light swirls around Odin and the damage that had been done to it and its equipment were reversed and the towering warrior stood tall with its violet eyes flashing brightly standing behind the one that summoned him.

Lightning suddenly feels light headed and weak, she uses her gunblade to keep her from falling face first into the battle scarred ground, breathes heavily and shallow. She smirks as her pink hair begins to turn to brown, her eyes change from brilliant blue to light brown. Everything about Lightnings current appearance, even her weapon, change back to the interloper that got swept into this fantasy.

Mel chuckles to herself and smirks toward the white knight.

"G-go... Find the real Lightning... S-she... is the one, who...who summoned you... O-din,..." Mel says slowly through weak and raspy voice, her eyes flutter and close as the scars she had been given from the knight appear as the flow of crimson fall from her temple and her pale lips staining her overshirt bit by bit with every lingering drop that falls.

The knight obeys the girl without question and follows the road that the other two took a while ago and disappears behind the towering garbage leaving the girl alone and practically left to die.

* * *

Elsewhere:

Hope had been carrying Lightning for a good hour and they had came out of Vile peaks, he slumpt over and fell with Lightning on him practically unconscience. He groans and escapes her useless weight to see she is no longer in pain and notices that it became very quiet since he had to abandon Mel to save Lightning. Somehow he feels something is wrong and wants to return but recalls on the words last spoken to him,

"Whatever you do don't come back, I'll keep this thing distracted. You two have to survive..." And he swore he thought that strange androgyn smiled after saying they needed to survive, yet how can he without anyone there to aid him in this predicamint.

"You, mom, Vanille were always there to cheer me up and to keep me looking forward and I never said anything to you guys in return... Now that I'm alone what do I do?" Hope says aloud to himself as he reflects on what had already happened. He turns and stares at the SOLDIER then reaches into his pack at his hip for something and feels something inside that shouldn't belong. He pulls out a nice hand crafted blade with a blue hilt and silver short blade with a note and silver bracelet With his name on it. The note says,

" Never lose Hope in anyone not even yourself. Despair and happiness come together to make you stronger emotionally and physically, using these wisely will aid you in any battle wether you are alone or amoung friends and family. You have the strength to continue on with those supporting you Hope, me and Vanille and Sahz even Lightning knows this. This blade will be a reminder of your struggles along with this bracelet me and Vanille made. Never lose yourself into despair and think before you act recklessly, your mom wouldn't want you to change out of anger and sorrow just for her sake right?" Hope gasps as the note mentioned his mom, trembling he continues to read the rest of the note trying hard to hold back his tears.

"I may not be here with you guys to help you in your quest but somewhere, somehow I'll be there again with you guys somewhere to help you all out before this fantasy has come to an end. I promise and swear that I will return again. Best of luck to you all, from your strange androgynous friend, Mel Winters..."

Hope rereads the letter a few more times and falls to his knees no longer able to keep his tears from falling, he felt something in him snap yet mend as he contemplates the notes words over and over again. He felt something in him died and revived, reborn anew with a new resolve. He walks over to Lightning and stores the note and blade away in his pack, watching the sargents breathing stablize. He sighs and looks skyward at the silver Phoenix Fal'cie with a small smile upon his face remembering the good times instead of reveling in the dark past he carried with him as a burden.

"You better hold up your end of the bargain Mel, you made a promise..."

* * *

A/N: AAAAGH! i still LIVE! sorry everyone for the late updates, been super busy since school started again and all. Oh and if this helps try listening to Hope's theme while reading at the part once you reach elsewhere see if it feels different while reading the last parts as he pulls out the letter. Well that you all for reading my fanfics and hopefully this and my later chapters will improve and become better. Until then, Ciao! please leave a review, comment, leave good or bad critisicm to see how i am doind and all that, laters!


	8. Fang and Etro's Vision!

A/N: Oh man, I can start a new chapter. Wonder if you guys can figure out what will happen just with the title? What secrets will be revealed and what will be locked away? Lets find out, shall we? Enjoy!

* * *

The Calvary had suffered greatly due to the well placed traps left behind by the L'cie they had been tracking throughout the Historic dump site of Vile Peaks. Rygdea had led the team of troopers full of lost patience and grief over the loss of few of his co-workers and for losing their targets every second they encountered the Peaks merciless inhabitants. He glared coldly toward the Calvaries tracker that had been used to find the strange source that had been with the fugitives since they discovered who and what their targets are with the aid of Snow Villiers.

"Rygdea did you find anything?" Said a sharp, yet somewhat sarcastic, womans voice came from a com. unit from Rygdea's belt. He unclipped it in annoyance then reverted back to his carefree, cool collected self as he answered the voice.

"Not yet lass, my trusty tracker tells me that we are getting closer to the beakon we picked up since we left Lake Bresha with the large fella we nabbed. So don't get yourself worked up over nothing okay? We'll find them."

"This isn't nothing Rygdea! I need to find _her_! Got it?! You of all people should have known that by now, yea? I'll meet you and your squad in five minutes, lets hope to Lady Luck this isn't a vain search..." The voice soon hangs up and the team advances forward.

Ten minutes go by and the team halts to see the area they crossed in in nearly destroyed, boulders and metal heaps are burned and cracked, the ground is engraved with battle scars and most of the scars left in the earth are smoldering with lindering smoke left behind by either fire or electricity spells. They weren't very sure themselves.

'_Beep beep beep beep beep beep!'_ The tracker on Rygdea's belt goes haywire once they took a few steps into the once battle grounds of the peaks. Confused he tries to check for any malfunctions in the device but realizes this is telling him the source of the beakon is close, just somewhere in this area thats for sure, yet if only it could tell him the exact location of the beakon.

"Flip and turn everything here, the beakon is in this area. If you find anything out of place report to me understand?" Rygdea says with fluent authority to his suboordinates.

The other troopers nod and bow respectfully and went about to do what they were instructed to do.

Sighing heavily the captain of the Calvaries recon. team just leans against some untouched piles of stone and gazes skyward toward the heavens where the Fal'cie Phoenix resides in with the stars.

"What could actually give a real advantage over these troublsome L'cie that _she_ wants us all to find? We are supposed to be doing sonething about the government not meddle in the Sanctums affairs, oh wait... We already are interfering with the Sanctums plans, I guess adding one more problem to their list won't hurt anyone!"Rygdea says to himself as he mules over his thoughts.

"CAPTAIN! WE FOUND SOMETHING!" A loud, eager voice came from thirty feet away cried near a pile of small rubble.

"By the Maker boy! Keep it down! We don't need any unneccesary attention drawn to us!" Rygdea cries annoyed and concerned. He wanders over to the lower class soldier and asks,

"What did you find cadet?" In an even tone.

The cadet points toward the rubble to see an arm, a human arm trapped under the pile of stones.

"By the Creator, why are you standing around for you moron?! Why didn't you dig them out?!" The Calvary captain says enraged at his subordinate.

"Y-y-you said to report a-anything we find to you, I wasn't sure what to do captain..." The subordinate stammers, scared for his life, his captains anger and fear of losing his job.

"Never mind your excuses! Help me dig them out now!" Rygdea says as he grunts from pulling stone by stone off of whoever was buried under here.

* * *

A few minutes go by and the two soldiers find a kid of sixteen from under the rocks, they were bleeding profusely yet alive though pale and their breathing is ragged and unstable. They were covered in blood from the mid-driff to the waist with deep gashes that will leave permenant scars and blood ran from their forehead down to their pale lips, the overcoat was burned and ashen flowing bits of the burned material away in the wind though on the right shoullder revealed a Pulse L'cie brand slowly but surely advancing.

"Troopers said you two recovered something, what'd ya find Rygdea?" Said an, probably, australian and sharp, yet somewhat sarcastic-ish, young womans voice from behind the captains back.

Without turning her replies shocked,

"We just found a kid, a branded kid..."

_'Beep beep beep beep beep!'_

The Calvaries tracker goes off and starts beeping in a rapid steady sound. Removing it from his belt Rygdea peers at the screen on the tracker to show that the very thing they were following to find the other L'cie was right in front of them.

"Not just a kid lass, its the beakon we picked up since Lake Bresha! We found them!" He cries victoriously. The captain turns and stares at the woman before him grinning, though the woman doesn't smile in return. She held a perplexed gaze on her bronze coloered face her forest green eyes looking over at the captains expression to the unconscience person. She merely sighs.

"You moron, sure we found the beakon but how on Pulse will we be able to find the others now? Tell me that much then I'll probably celebreate with you." The woman says sternly as she looks at Rygdea on almost very equal level. She pulls her red bladed lance from her sides and plunges it into the dirt, kneeling as she holds the base of her weapon she examins the person closely. Minutes go by she finally stands back to her full height of 5 feet nine inches.

"Well based on the descriptions we got from Snow this must be the one he likes to call 'The dreamer'. He believes this boy/girl dreams about the future ever since they found that crystallized girl at the lake before they arrived at her exact location, and guess what whatever this kid said about where they would find her came true." The woman sits on a near by boulder, crossed legged, with her arms across her chest.

"Send a medical team here now! We treat their wounds here we can save 'em, then take 'em back to the Lindblum for questioning!" The woman barked and a few soldiers obeyed out of fear of her.

A bead of sweat fell from Rygdea's temple as he feels a cold chill running down his spine and back up. He just looks at the woman and he shrugs his shoulders. All the woman did was smile in her own happiness.

The woman has bronze colored skin with forest green eyes, her hair is wavy and dark brown with a small braid behind her left ear and has claw like earrings in both ears. Her facial features are flawless with a beauty mark under her right eye, on her right arm and shoulder are visible scars along with her Pulse brand near her shoulder but it is unadvancing, icy blue in color, and indistinguished, blue clothing ressembling a traditional indian sari but more revealing with tribal accessories, short black top with black sleeves on her forearm, leather tan opened toed sandals, two fur pelts hanging from a cord on her belt acting as her weapons holster and on her other arm is a large tatoo ressembling a large beasts fangs and canines.

A medical team arrives with a stretcher and pulls the kid onto it, once on the kid groans and twitches in pain a bit of blood gushes from the midriff. Somehow the kid opens their eyes and the woman walks over. She sees the kids eyes is dazed, unfocused, and pale, she is about to lead the team but a weak gripped hand stops her by reaching for her wrist. She looks into those pale eyes and the kid says a single word, a name, and guessed right even though they are blind.

"F-Fa..Ng..." Then they fall back into a dark sleep.

The woman is surprised yet is full of joy and accomplishment, the name Fang was the very reason for her tatoo, Thus her name is Oerba Yun Fang.

"We really found the target. Alright everyone lets head back to the ship!" Fang ordered and the group back tracked to their ship. Thoguh she stayed behind a few paces Fang she turns her head to a towering scrap metal to see the same white bird she saw at Lake Bresha staring, practically watching their every moves. She thinks Lady Luck is watching over them she continues her pace to catch up to the squadron.

* * *

-Dream-

"So you are here yet again in my world, do you know how or why you are able to pass through into my world, Interloper?" The divine voice asks me patiently.

I stare up at the crystallized throne to see no figure there but a bright golden light sitting on the throne in the world of Valhalla, contemplating the questions that had been asked to me since I arrived minutes ago.

"No I do not know how or why I was able to enter your homeworld Goddess Etro, oh, please forgive me I didn't mean no disrespect." I say to the light in an even and tired tone.

"I understand. You were never ment to exist in this world yet here you are, your presence has caused a great deal of negitive energy flow in the passages of time and space yet nothing malicious has occured. I am curious if it is the work of a great power that could rival with the Maker alone, I wonder..." The voice says to me then falls silent. I continue to watch the light shimmer and pulsate each time it spoke or I can assume is breathing, so I wait paitently for what else the Goddess would say next.

"Interloper do you know the term of 'Equivelant Exchange'?" The voice asks suddenly.

I lift my head in surprise then my mind wanders to the anime I used to watch,"Full Metal Alchemest", in the story there was something there that had the term of Equivelant Exchange but I am unsure to if it is similar than what this eternal being has in mind.

"No I do not know what it is, I am sorry..." I respond depressingly. The voice doesn't respond, instead say this,

"There are many questions you wish to have answered but I fear that I do not have the answers you seek unfortunately I don't know very much. But I shall indulge you with the answer of your arm that casts and absorbes the many elements, lightning and grants you power." Again I stare at the light waiting to hear what she says, my eyes widen a bit but returns to normal, my heart is racing and I wait to hear an answer to something.

"You were struck by one of natures strongest and lethalist force yet you have managed to survive, this is because the force had bonded with you. Like a parasite it cannot be removed no matter what you do, it has infused itself into your system, your cells, your DNA and your very soul granting you power beyond any mortals wild imaginings."

"Though it has bonded with me it must come with a price to use, nothing is ever free in any world. What is the cost that I must pay to use this power?" I ask waiting to hear the answer and results.

"The price comes in two; 1) It drains your memories that you made in your world. Your past, life, family and friends, your happiest and dreaded experiences will fade to nothing even your identity will be erased, all that you have that you cling on so desperatley will be nothing, like a passing fog."

My mind snaps and my heart felt like it died for a second and restarted again only in a slower rythmn. Each time I use this power I will lose everything, a wandering shell with false memories of a world I was never ment to be in will be the new world that I will believe to be my own even though I won't know that fact anymore. I will become apart of this fantasy, never to return home at this rate.

Swallowing my fear and anxiety I slowly ask,

"What is the second price?"

"2) You will become the sheild for my successor, though you were not granted this power by my word it seems fit that you were able to hear and connect with me. These are the two prices that will be paid on your journey, now return to your world and continue your path. Farewell Interloper, until we meet again."

Soon the world of Valhalla is engulfed by darkness and everything becomes cold again.

* * *

-Lindblums single room Medical Ward-

I feel my eyes flutter open and everything is blurry and out of focus. My ears tune themselves to hear steady beeping of a heart monitor, air filter activating and the sound of my own breathing. I feel I am no longer at Vile Peaks but elsewhere that feels safe, IV needle is stuck in my arm with an air mask over my mouth and nose, I feel exposed even with a hospital garb and bandages on.

'Wait, bandages?! Where exactly am I? No ordinary hospital if they treat branded fugitives. What happened while I was out?' I thought to myself as I looked around the room, my eyes focusing more.

The room is very spacious and the walls are bare white. There are medical supplies near me on a table, grey metal chairs are beside my bed, a mahogany dresser is across from me against the far wall that I stare directly at, and my clothes are on one of the metal chairs with my belongings and weapons on a metal table near the door on the left. If I could move I would get dress and grab my things and find a way out of here. But instead my eyes watch as the metallic door opens upwards and in comes three maybe four people, all whom I recognize but maybe only one recognizes me; Snow Villiers, Oerba Yun Fang, Cid Rains and Rygdea walked into my room.

"Hey again Mel! Your finally awake." Snow says happily with the same goofy grin on his face. I merely nod in return.

Snow steps aside and points over to the other three,

"I would like to introduce you to Fang, Cid Raines and Rygdea. They and their squad found you at deaths door at Vile Peaks. Don't worry they don't work for the Sanctum, if you thought that because of their, not including Fang, uniforms." Again I nod.

"You were out for several hours, but they thought that it was wise to ask you a few questions the second you opened your eyes. Though I disagreed and said that they should wait until your healed enough to talk but I got no say in this." Snow explains.

I see Fang step forward but gets cut by Raines.

"If you would, please answer our questions truthfully."

I stare at him then look over at Fang who looks pissed since she was cut in front of then return my attention to Rains.

"Do you know where your companions will be heading?" I nod.

"Can you tell us where they are heading?" I nod.

"Are they travelling together?" I shake my head no.

"Cid this won't work if you ask her, him, whatever, questions that needs an explanation. The kid can't talk yet, wait for a few more hours then we'll ask again later alright?" Rygdea intervenes suddenly.

Cid turns his attention to his friend then nods. He rises to his feet and heads out the door with his friend. Fang and Snow remain.

"Are you sure that Lightning and the others aren't travelling together? Did they go seperate ways?" Snow asks as he grips the beds railing so hard I nearly fell out of it. Fang pulled Snow by his trenchcoats collar to bring him aside, now she has my attention.

"Do, do you know if a red headed girl is alright? The one that is travelling with three other L'cie that the army is hunting for?" Fang asks a bit hesitant but still held her strong gaze.

I nod. As a response to my answer Fang sighs in relief.

"Hey Fang, who exactly is Vanille to you? Do you two know eachother?" Snow asks quietly at first but with his arms raised in case he gets punched in the mouth again.

Fang hangs her head then walks to the door.

"None of yer concern, yea? Lets leave it as that. Lets go Snow." Then the huntress walks out the door. Snow looks at me and grins again.

"Get well soon, because they really want answers out of ya. Though it was my fault for voicing my opinion about you since the incident with Serah at Lake Bresha. I'll see you in a few hours then." Then he walks out the door leaving me alone again. I stare at the ceiling and close my eyes, the darkness embracing me back into the shadow world where I must pass through in order to dream.

* * *

-Somewhere near Sunleth Waterscape-

Since Sahz and Vanille went their own way after leaving Vile Peaks something had bothered Vanille and knows it since she kept fiddling with her bangle that she and Mel made that night. She stares into the smoldering fire then to Sahz who sleeps on his side facing away from her, then at the skies of dawn approaching. She had been awake for what seemed like hours to her due to her nightmares that eluded her of any sleep. She grabs her Malboro wand and wanders over to the near by riverbank and decided to fish, she gazed into the clear waters with her reflection staring back at her as she looks around for anything that could put her mind at ease. She even began looking at the floral patterns around her and spots a strange flower unlike one she had seen before, she walks over to it and has a better view of it. It is a small delicate white flower with three petals spread open majestically, it looked beautiful.

"I wonder if this is the flower Mel's emblem on her shirt represents. I should take it and show her when we meet up again." Carefully she plucks the flower and stores it nicely away into her pack and continues to fish. After killing low strengthed Ceratoraptors she made grilled fish with them after skinning, peeling and gutting the monsters corpse and cooked it with fire magic. Discarding the unneeded belongings of a dead creature, that she thought wasn't cute, she cleaned her hands and brought breakfast back to the camp site. When she returned she stared at the skies and thought about happier memories from before. She then held onto a bangle made from an Adomantoise's tusk and thought of the person who made it and gave it to her.

"Fang, where are you now? Are you safe? Are you somewhere out there looking for me still?"

* * *

A/N: Yay! I am done! sorry there isn't much action in the story so far but I will do my best with the boss fight and all the minor enemies as we will continue to watch Lightning, Hope, Sahz and Vanille while checking on Snow, Fang, Cid Rains, Rygdea and Mel. Please leave a comment, review, good/bad critisicm to see how I am doing thus far. Until the next chapter, Ciao!


	9. Operation rescue part 1

A/N: Okay! Now let's bring on some action! Since Mel is with Fang and Snow I bet you guys know where they are headed and who they are going to meet up with. If you don't know then read, reading is good for your imagination and creativity :p. So let the games, BEGIN!

* * *

I had been released from the Calvary's infirmary a few days after my first interrogation with Cid Raines and Rygdea, Fang and Snow were nowhere near the two high seated officers, and been given a blue Comm. Unit and all of my belongings. I walked down a winding green and white hallway about ten feet high and fifteen feet in width staring in awe that I was actually in a real airship, much more grand and impressive than the ones in those sci-fi movies.

"This place is incredible!" I said aloud to myself as I continued to gawk in amazement.

While walking in the lonely corridor I heard a few sets of footsteps following me, I would stop to hear nothing but once I turned around and there that stood before me was the Huntress and the self proclaimed 'hero'.

"Heya Mel!" Snow said happily.

"Look we need to talk to you Kid, this conversation we are about to have won't involve Raines nor Rygdea, you may have answers to the problems we have." Fang says eagerly.

I look at the pair and turn 45 degrees so I could face them completely.

"Is this about Lightning and the others?" I ask monotone.

The two nods. I look at the ground for a second then look at Snow and then to Fang.

"Is there someplace where we won't be heard nor interrupted?" I asked the Huntress.

She nods then waves her right hand to follow her down the left corridor and me and Snow followed her.

* * *

"So, here is what I wanna know Kid; where did Vanille go?" Fang asks me, as she grabbed a metal chair near a transparent glass table in a twenty by thirty sky blue walled room in the barracks, her eyes stern and hard boring themselves into my weak yet subtle light brown eyes.

I cleared my throat and looked away then looked back at her with equal level,

"Vanille is safe, she is traveling with an old pilot but they are capable of holding their own in battle. As for their location currently I am not sure..."

Fangs eyes grew harder but remained calm. Her fists were clenched until they were nearly bone white but released her grip.

"Well, as long as she's safe then that's good enough for me for now. But right now we are headed to Palumpolum, who do you think is going to be there?" The Huntress asks cooly as she stood to her feet and walked over to a great window that showed not only the clouds but the entire sky that revealed itself to us, her back showing to me and Snow. Snow suddenly chimes in though,

"Other than the Palumpolums Security braggade and some units from the army there are civilians."

For some reason, though he's got a point, I mentally face palmed myself even though he may not have understood the question correctly.

"No, not only them. Lightning and Hope are going to end up there from the sewer levels of Palumpolum, if we can get to them before the city is on high alert then the army won't know what was there in the first place. Which means we have to act fast now! Only we can get ahead of the army now we are so close, tell Raines that we are catching an early flight there." I say suddenly as I realize that the events are flowing from my mouth.

Fang and Snow looks at me but for some reason they do not question me like people would do if you say something ludicrous that you need some explanation but they don't ask for one. Maybe they are too wrapped up in their own thoughts to question me about what I said.

"Well if Light is our closest target then we can go after the old man and Vanille after. That alright with you Fang?" Snow looks at the silent Huntress, her jade eyes are staring at the floor now. She inhales then exhales slowly, she then lifts her head up and pulls out her Lance and slams it into the ground.

"Whatever it is you got in mind Kid you better be damn sure about this alright? If not then the army will be the least of your worries, yea?" She says in her sharp tone with a sly smile on her face, turning to Snow he does the same.

I look at each of the two adults and smiled,

"I got it, so what? You gonna lead the way or do I have to take point?"

* * *

The fleet airship allowed me, Fang, Snow and a small band of Calvary soldiers to leave the ship and fly ahead of time. Though Rygdea objected CID gave us his word as long as we brought the other two L'cie back with us safely. Now we are basically thousands of feet in the air about ten minutes from reaching Hopes hometown, the soldiers are silent put are packing their supplies for a fight, Snow his pacing excitedly while punching his fists together with a goofy smile on his face, and Fang is standing tall with authority her Bladed Lance in her right hand practically glued into her palm and fingers. Anxiety emanates from her being but also the feeling of hidden rage with strength comes off her too. The army won't stand a chance now.

"Palumpolum in sight, landing in approximately one minute. Engaging countdown sequence. 59, 58, 57..." The computerized voice begins the countdown as the ship descends in a small clearing near the city, from the looks of it it is just the outside part of the city where Lightning and Hope will pop out from.

"WARNING! ALL AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL EVACUATE AREA NINE SECTION TWELVE, PULSE L'CIE HAVE BEEN SPOTTED. REPEAT PULSE L'CIE HAVE BEEN SPOTTED!" A loud voice from within the city sounded the red alert.

A few soldiers came up to the towering walls and placed what I can assume is a bomb to blow up the barrier. They began calculating things here and planning things there, which made my head spin in confusion, then they waved forward for everyone to clear the way. Minutes after one soldier flipped the switch and the wall crumbled to debris creating a path and the battalion ran through. Snow charged in first with the small fleet tossing a Sanctum soldier over the railing then summoned his Eidolon Shiva, Nix and Stiria, waves and spirals of ice took over the grand area crushing or encasing or impaling anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in the ice. Soon he Hops over and turns his twin Eidoliths into gestalt mode. Though I gawk in amazement Fang taps my shoulder, machine gun in hand, and jumps over the battered wall and rides behind Snow on Shiva. The air ships that are being commanded by Yaag Rosch seem to be overpowered from the barrage of bullets, from a far distance it seems that the Sanctum high seated officer is really pissed. I look around my surroundings from the high walkways then I look down to see both Lightning and Hope being pushed back to back while the other two L'cie are busy destroying the Sanctums numbers in fighters. There is a nearby ice ramp that I could use to get to Light and Hope in time, I grab a sheet of fractured metal and I jumped. The metal sheet is under my feet as a board grinding the ice downward, wind and bullets wisp past me as I continue to get closer and closer to the L'cie. Soldiers see me and take fire, I attempt to jump to other ice ramps to dodge the on coming projectiles only to get a single bullet in my left shoulder, pain erupts from the bones and muscle with a small trickle of blood flowing but I have to endure this pain not only makes me wince but it really irritated me.

"AAAGH! YOU BASTARDS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT! AERORA!" I shout in blood boiling rage my usable right hand is curled in front of me then straightens out as a strong wind spell is conjured from my palm hitting and only hitting the enemy soldiers ignoring Lightning and Hope. The soldiers are lifted from the ground, swirling in the air thirty feet in the air then after the wind disappears the ten soldiers drop and remain still. A second after that I was very close to the ground and I shifted my weight to the right and the sheet metal skidded, grinded against end the pale grey tile streets with some sparks and halted the metal in front of my previous comrades whom I had last seen in Vile Peaks. The cries and sounds of war and falling warriors swirl around us but Hope is the only one who ignores this while Lightning finished off a PSICOM executioner with a deep and far slash from her gun blade, which looks very different from her Blazefire saber but I can assume this gun blade is her Gladius model.

"Mel! Your alright!" Hope cries as he ran up to me, his face has a large brimming smile that brought life back to his eyes. I look into his eyes and smile in return while patting his silver blond hair playfully.

"Of course I'm alright! You think I wasn't gonna make it out of Vile Peaks alive?" I say to young teen teasingly which seems to embarrass him but he only smiles again. He pulls something from his pack to reveal the charm Vanille and I made at the peaks.

"I always keep this where I can find it like I do with Lights knife, the one you left for me with your letter. I wanted to thank you but when I realized that you didn't make it I thought I would never get the chance to tell you. I knew that you were going to make it, somehow I never lost hope and faith in you. I knew you were going to keep your promise." He says breathlessly like he thinks I'm going to vanish in thin air anytime soon. I look up at Light who strides cooly over to me and Hope with that stoic expression on her face but her eyes were telling another story.

"Heya Light, been a while yeah?" I ask her. She merely lets out a soft sigh and cocks her head like she's stretching out a crick in her neck then replies,

"Figured you were alright, though I don't know how you did it but that knight we encountered that night came to us but responded to me and me alone. Thought that was strange when I wasn't the one who fought it." I look at the former SOLDIER member and chuckle lightly. But all fun and games are over when sanctum soldiers pile in and Snow and Fang ran up to us breathlessly but eager. Light grabs Hope by the arm and is pushed in front of Snow,

"Take care of him." She says cooly then runs north, Fang soons follows after her with a shrug of her shoulders and a small chuckle. Hope looks up at Snow and I see the fire of hatred in his eyes returned, then the fire cools down as he looks up at me. I shrug my shoulders, smile and said,

"See you laters, take care of Snow for us okay?" Then ran after the SOLDIER girl and the Huntress.

* * *

Me, Light and Fang ran along three corridors of the 'arena' we recently fought in, a few PSICOM soldiers took aim and fired several rounds of bullets but with thick steel walls we were fine.

"Should we fire back before reinforcements spawn?" I asked in a timid tone not really sure of what I should do when I remind myself stuff like this doesn't happen back home.

Fang stood beside me looking past the wall for a second then pressed her back against the wall looking beside us on the other side of the walkway to Lightning with her gun blade withdrawn but her hands were sparking. SOLDIER girl nods and so does Fang in return though I don't know what they intend to do. Fang nudges my shoulder with her arm a bit then pulls out her Bladed Lance.

"Watch and learn Kiddo, you could learn a thing or two about staying alive, yea?" Then as though waiting for a signal planned weeks before Lightning moves from behind the wall and shot a strong thundara spell at the troopers, small embers of fire began to burn with thick black smoke rising from the ground leaving the enemies stunned and blind. Fang sprints from beside me and charges at the battalion with Light, her weapon gleaming and raised above her chest. The smoke cleared and the enemies can see again but are too slow to retaliate; Lightning comes up to three soldiers crouching low with her weapon crossing across her body, her head low, her feet planted and spread apart. She grips the hilt with both hands then swings across the soldiers chest, blood spraying from where they were slashed at, attacking with the attack Blitz. With quick reflexes she somersaults over several bullets aimed at her, which hits the wall instead creating tiny holes in place, then charges with intense speed right at the person who tried to shoot her. Suddenly my attention wandered over to Fang who is taking care of the stronger brutes leading the pack, two Executioners tower before the Huntress in their large and noble armor with a single long spear in their hand. Fang, however isn't intimidated by their size nor appearance, grins slyly and cooly at the two large men who, I can assume is confused.

"Lets get started now shall we? Whoo!" Fang jumps back a few feet then leaps forward bringing her lance over her head then bringing it down onto the Executioner on the lefts head, the force created a small crater beneath his feet and he suddenly slumped over unmoving. The other Executioner is taken aback but grips his spear tightly, he pulls it back then thrusts it forward aiming at Fangs heart from the side. Fang however reacts and sidesteps backward then grabs ahold of the spear her strength rivaling with the weilder, they play tug of war for a bit but Fang wins the contest of strength and pulls the spear along with the user and brings her fist up and socks the guy right in the head. After the punch to the jaw all you hear is a painful grunt then nothing at all. Sweeping her hand and holding her lance Fang looks around the battlegrounds and appears disappointed.

"I didn't even get started, that wasn't even a warm up." She says disappointed and a bit annoyed. I looked over at Lightning and she just stands over the fallen bodies of her adversaries with the same stoic expression on her face but her eyes are somewhat telling me that she is glad the fight ended, or maybe I could be seeing things since I am about a few feet away from the pair.

"Let's get moving." She says calmly as ever then jogs toward someplace, Fang follows her and I follow suit, we come out in the open near the cities shops but cut through a slender pathway leading to the parks. The coast was clear so we continued running, we suddenly came across a drop with concrete salmon colored four feet wall with grass in it and below was a grated walkway with stairs leading to another area we couldn't reach.

"Mind lowering us down with your lance?" Light asks Fang who looks at the pink haired woman and nods. The two step near the edge and Light grips the walls edge hanging over the side, Fang gives her the butt of her lance and lowers her safely down onto the grates.

"Your turn!" Fang tells me with a smirk, I just nod. I imitate Light the best I could with my right hand holding the edge keeping me from falling, the Huntress brings her lance to me and I grab it with me left hand then my right. Slowly she lowers me down until I am nearly down to the ground, but suddenly my left shoulder begins to burn and ache painfully that the muscle and bone feels like its stretching or compressing. I grimace in pain but now that I'm focused on the pain my grip is releasing itself, soon my hands slip and I am falling backwards over the edge of the grates. Thinking I was going to plummet to my death something grabs my wrist and catches me, I look upward to see Lightning is lying on her stomach with her arm straining from the loose weight but staying vigilant and strong.

"You alright?" She asks calmly, her eyes showing concern. I merely nod and she pulls me up. Once my feet touched the metal grates Fang dropped down and walked up to me probably pissed or concerned or something I couldn't tell with my blurry and hazy vision.

"You moron you okay?! You could of died if SOLDIER here didn't catch you in time. What the hell happened?" Fang cries going a bit ballistic now the three of us regrouped.

"It's my shoulder, I got hit with a bullet and it passed through the muscles and through the back. I thought I could deal with it but sadly I was wrong. It began hurting while I was trying to watch my weight when you brought me lower to the floor but I was focused on the pain my fingers slipped. But anyways thanks Light for catching me, if you didn't react in time I would have died from that fall." I explained with a tired grin on my face. Light stands beside me with a hand above my shoulder wound that poured more fresh blood and her hand began glowing a brilliant light green color, the pain disappears and then my bullet wound healed like it was never there to begin with.

"That was cure, right?" I asked in shock and awe, but when I look at the pinknette and the Huntress they had the expressions of," Now isn't the time to stand around amazed we got things to do".

"So who are you exactly?"Lightning asks Fang. Fang turns to face Light and introduces herself.

"The names Fang I work along side the Calvary, they are a anti-government group within the Sanctum. We came here to save you and the other kid that was with you." She explains. Light raises an eyebrow and looks at me,

"Did you know where we were headed to? Even though we left you behind?" She says it in a confused tone. I look into her eyes and nod.

"Yeah, I figured you two were headed to Palumpolum because this is Hopes hometown and all. I mean I thought there was something's that needed to be cleared up you know? But where you two were going to pop up from was a coincidence, something out of intuition if you will. But if it weren't for Fang and the others I would have been dead." I said slowly with a small twinge of depression in my voice. Light just looks at me then at the huntress several times then sighs. She stands upright with authority and looks at me square in the eyes then out of the blue she pats me on the shoulder and slightly smiles, like she did when the six L'cie were on Gran Pulse camping that first night when they fought Alexander.

"I'm glad your alright, Hope would have been upset if we discovered that you didn't make it. But I know we don't have time for a welcome back celebration but there are something's we need to discuss, that alright?" Lightning says with her smile gone from sight. My eyes shifted from hers to the ground then at Fang who stands behind the former sergeant. I sigh and look at her again.

"Sure, whatever it is you want to know I'll try to explain it the best I can." Just as I said those words my scarred left arm began burning and crackling to life with small embers emerging from the blue electricity bouncing and streaming from my arm. I try to cast cure on it but the sensation increases drastically I can no longer hold in my pain filled screams, Light and Fang placed their hands over my mouth to keep my screams in the best they could. Soon the electricity intensifies and my head began to pound and pound, time felt slower and everything looked distorted and vague. My eyes fluttered several times until I saw a flash of golden light before me, I got my vision and hearing to focus the best I could get it to hear that same divine voice again,

"Time and space will collapse if you say anything, I believe it is best that we discuss the pressing issues where we won't be disturbed?" The Goddess Etro, in her golden form of streaming light, envelopes me in a white veil like material and the feeling of pain disappears but as the feeling vanishes the place of where I was just standing washes away to black until I no longer feel nor see anything at all.

* * *

A/N: yay! Another chapter done! Sorry for the slow, late, updates. I've been starting on my chapters but never finish them on time because of school, practice whatnot. Well hope this is a good chapter and hope your all enjoying the story so far I'll try to update sooner so please be patient, if so I'll give you all an eidolon of your choice! Or maybe cookies and cake:) well please leave a review, comment, whatever to see how the story is going so far thanks, till next time Ciao!


	10. Operation: Rescue! Part 2

A/N: wow it's been a long while since I made a new chapter. Sorry for the slow updates I only have one day of free time with my full schedule with school and sports :p. That is basically the bottom line for my absence, so lets start this back up again okay? Lets start.

* * *

Mels POV:

The cold darkness becomes overwhelmed with a strong source of light that my eyes sting even if I squint them nearly close. I thought that I had been summoned again by the Goddess Etro since I heard her voice when time felt slow and unbearably claustrophobic but instead the light was just the setting afternoon sun and I am where I have been before I must have blacked out, with Lightning and Fang who seem to be having a deep conversation of what? I do not know, but did Etro really reveal herself to me in her golden form? It felt different than before, maybe that was just her way of giving me a warning?, though I can see Fang is rubbing the side of her face and there seems to be a slight red mark beneath her hand, also I cannot hear nothing just barely my own thoughts but as time slowly begins to pick up back to normal I hear what the two women are talking about.

"That it?" Fang asks Light almost as if she could care less in her sarcastic tone of voice.

"You sure better hope so. But whether we're square that's up to Serah." Light says as she stares directly into the huntress green eyes with her arms hanging almost stiffly at her sides. Again Fang rubs the red mark and replies, as Light begins to turn her head at the moment Fang compares her to the self proclaimed hero.

"You sound exactly like Snow, and he didn't hit me."

Lightning turns her back to the huntress and me with her arms folded across her chest so I can't see her face nor what she is feeling right now. Though her voice says otherwise without seeing her expression.

"Wait, he already knows this?" In a sort of frustrated tone.

"Wow." Is all that Fang says as she stands to her feet and walks over to the former SOLDIER. I continue to watch the two with my eyes without moving for my limbs and will feel to heavy to even twitch my little fingers.

"That's a load off." The huntress starts as she swings her arms as if she's loosening them back and forth across her chest and she does the same with her legs by making them move upward and back to the ground a few times. She stops then continues,

"Glad I apologized." This got Light to turn and face her, her expression seems to be one of surprise mixed with slight annoyance.

"Wait you apologized so you'd feel better?" But as soon as she turned she turned her back again.

"Guess so. So how bout you? Feel any better now that you hit me?" Fang says questionably after she sighed away whatever she felt bothered her.

Lightning scoffs and looks away from the Huntresses gaze and replies,

"It didn't change anything."

Fang rubs her jaw from where she had been struck and says to her with a slight chuckle,

"Tell that to my jaw."

The two women remain silent for a few minutes only the sounds of metal footsteps, the soft afternoon breeze and the wings of birds flapping through the air made the silence feel a bit more... I don't know, heart tearing probably. I found my strength to move my fingers then the blood began to rush through my arms, my upper body then to my brain. I felt my blood turn warm again and I was now able to move at will again once my neck jerked a bit then I had control over myself but for some reason I felt as though I was being commanded to remain still, I stayed in place unmoving to see both the eyes of jade green and cerulean blue looking my way. I tried not to make eye contact at all with either of them so there I remain until Ligthtning speaks up.

"Felix heights is that up there, we should get moving but-" she suddenly stops. She gazes backwards seeing past Fang but where she is looking I am not sure of.

"But- what? Something the matter?" Fang asks Light as she follows her gaze back to me.

"Oh I see, it's him your worried about right? Don't worry we'll be able to make it up there with the boy on our backs yea?" She's says almost confident that is what Lightning is concerned about is me.

"Maybe I am concerned about this kid, I mean where ever we were with this kid they knew something would happen and something did. Now since they're unconscience I am unsure of what will come our way. To tell you truthfully I still have this flicker of suspicion still lingering inside of me, but if Hope trusts him then maybe I could try so too." SOLDIER girl says with a hand resting on her hip.

"Let me ask you something. Is there, a small possibility, that anything this kid could know that we don't? Did they say anything that could help us out here with our focus? I mean your focus? I really wanna know, to save Vanille!" Fang asks eagerly it shows greatly on her face. All Lightning does is shake her head. Maybe she is holding back but I think I remember telling her I would tell her anything if possible back at Vile Peaks. So all I did was push myself up with my arms until I sat upright, looking at the two women who are oblivious to me while cracking my stiff joints and said as loudly as my voice could muster,

"Well it is rude to talk about someone behind their backs even when they are right next to you asleep. A tap on the shoulder would have sufficed to you know. But I do know what will come out to nab us but if we don't hurry right now Snow and Hope will be in grave danger." I said slowly because my throat felt raspy and sore. I swung my legs over the wall I was laying on to set my in an upright sitting position where my feet could touch the metal grates. Fang scratches the back of her neck embarrassed and Lightning has a ghost of embarrassment in her eyes but locks it away. I began to crack my shoulders then my neck and lastly my knuckles once more for good measure, I looked at the two and said dryly,

" If you wanna know what's ahead of us then look straight at it and go against it head on." Fang realizes that I was telling her that and she walks past me in a hurry. Lightning remains fixed in her spot looking ready to hear what I'm going to tell her.

" If your worried about someone that's fine but if someone knows something and you don't and you are with them and you want to know what it is they know then doesn't that make it seem like you want to go the easy way out huh? Like your running away."

Lightning has an annoyed and upset look in her gaze as her blue eyes are bearing a small fire in them into my own eyes.

"I'm not one to run away at any given moment. I just want to be prepared for whatever is waiting for us up ahead." She says as she walks my way to get by but once she is almost directly beside me I say this out of instinct,

"We can never be prepared for everything. Like at Animas threshold, you weren't prepared to lose Serah the second you saw her turn to crystal right before your very eyes. You were so unprepared at the time you felt that you had to lash out and blame it on someone other than yourself... No one can be prepared for every disaster that strikes, otherwise we would feel nothing, right?" Lightning halts in her tracks and I think that I saw something that made her realize that I was right, maybe she feels a bit prideful right now, but she doesn't deny what I have told her.

" What makes you so sure? You don't know me, kid!..." She says in a tone full of anger and walks slowly after Fang. Before she disappears completely from my view I could hear her mutter something.

"But maybe you're right, I just can't admit it to myself or anyone. You got some mouth on you, you say things that's true and somehow open our eyes to the truth... Maybe that's why I feel like I need you here, someone like you who actually understands..."

I listen to her footsteps for a second and then silence, they pick up again until I see the fair pink haired SOLDIER came back and has a soft, but stoic, expression on her face.

"I just felt like I've lost too much to lose more than what I have left... I guess that is why I was running away like I had told Hope I was when we were within the Gapra White wood. I can't stand to lose anyone else, that is what clouds my judgement and my emotions. I go haywire because of how unprepared I am..." Silence hangs into the air but then I hear something soft escape her lips like a small laugh.

"I find this strange to tell you the truth. Other than Serah you make me feel like I'm safe, I actually have someone to turn too. Even though we are a few years apart you seem like you can make you seem to know more about the world than I did just like my sister. It seems weird but it feels... Good in a sense. To vent I mean." Lightning says openly and I stare at her in shock, she's actually opening up to me more than she did in the beginning, and I merely chuckle alongside her.

"Hey! You two done yet? If what you say is true then we better haul ass while we have the chance!" Fang calls from afar. Light and I look at each other for a second and nod to each other soon following the trail to find the impatient huntress.

* * *

Hopes POV:

My brain pounds against my skull as my eyes flutter open. I see the ground moving with familiar large boots and familiar clothing. I startle myself as I realize someone is carrying me but to my own realization it was merely him... That guy who couldn't save mom is helping me.

"Why are you-" I began but he cut me off.

"I promised Light that I would take care of ya. Also I don't ask that you forgive me kid but I want you to know something. Your mom asked me to take you home only I didn't know who you were until then where we were talking at. I regret that I couldn't save her because she lost her life to save me, I thought that I could make it up to her, to everyone, if I just saved Cocoon. But that wouldn't have changed what had happened..."

Snow says in a depressed but stern tone,

'Though I hate you because you couldn't save my mom I may not forgive you but it seems that if what I told you hurt you then you are shouldering more than your average guilt right?' I thought about it and realized how much I was ignorant to. I blamed Snow for moms death but it wasn't he who started it all but the Sanctum, if they didn't start the purge in the first place then mom and I would still be together... But then again that would mean that I wouldn't get stronger and I wouldn't have met everyone else too.

Snow trudges slowly onward and we came down a flight of stairs, one I am familiar with since I climbed them dozens of times long before. I gazed to the left to see birds with white feathers soaring through the air with the planted nature there glowing peacefully with the dew of the sprinklers shingling in the afternoon sunlight descending almost nearing the horizon. I felt Snow take a step down the stairs then the next thing I know he falls forward and I fall along with him.

"Gah!" I cried in pain as my face fell and slowly skidded across the asphalt, Snow grunted to as he fell before me. I pushed myself up until I was sitting on my legs and at vision was blurred but refocused themselves, my hand instinctively moved to my right cheek where I gasped at the touch which stung and I looked at my right palm to see a bit of blood had stained my white palmed glove. I turned around with concern controlling me to see Snow lying face down on the tannish orange cement ground, his body looks like its shaking violently from either strain or his body is just too tired to carry i could see it from a distance, but like Light said he's too stubborn to die and I believe her.

"Snow? Are you alright?" I asked as I crawled over to the large man who has trouble getting himself to even sit down in an up right position.

"Yeah... I'm fine kiddo, just... Just feeling a bit tired..." He says weakly as he breathes heavier now, much more than he did not even moments ago.

"All we gotta, ngh! Worry about... G-getting you b-back home..." He then starts to push himself back to his feet but instead collapses back down.

"Hold still, I'll... I'll heal you, but it will take some time." I say to him but I faltered unconsciously. I shake my head and hold my hands over Snows body and conjured Cura. The glow of brilliant green light formed from my palms the size of a volleyball, i hear something escape his lips maybe he sighed in relief but I'm not sure. My hands hover over his body from the chest up and as far down as my arms could reach in order to relieve Snow of whatever pain he had been inflicted with.

'Almost done, just need a few more minutes so he can at least walk for a while. If I remember how long the affects of my healing spells are then after I'm done he will last long enough to reach my home at Felix Heights.' I thought to myself as I saw the sun was getting lower and the light was growing dimmer but there was enough light to last for a few hours.

"HOPE!" Snow cried and I jumped in surprise, my spell abruptly ended and a huge gust of wind lashed from behind. I turned around and saw that huge praying mantis orange and silver robot me and Snow fought earlier before we were attacked by the Armies air ship. It looked damaged but something about it made my stomach twist and tighten really bad.

"Hope, get out of here. I'll... Do whatever... I can to hold it off. Trust me, get home and meet up with Lightning and Fang. I'll see you there later." Snow says to me as he steps in front of me with an arm raised as if acting as a shield but he hunches over using one arm as support on his knee and his breathing is still unstable, if only I had a few more minutes he would be in a better state than the one he's in now.

The Ushumgal Subjugator, the name given from the libra spell, let's out air from the engines and the force knocks Snow away. I hear something from him but nothing more, my stomach tightens more and my knees begin to shake again for it is now me against this thing. I want to run, run away and never look back but I remember the words Light told me,

"Some things in life you just do. You don't wait around for a miracle to happen you make it happen."

And I believe her even when Mel was around, told me that if I control my fear it will become and turn into power. The power I need to overcome my challenges before me. So I grabbed my boomerang and opened it standing firm with a hardened gaze at the mecha, I imagined the pilot is sitting there laughing at me but I'm not as weak as I was two days ago!

"PROTECT! SHELL!" I cried waving my arm in front of me to create a shield against both magic, physical and debilitating attacks but it will last for so long I gotta make it count. I sprinted to my left as saw the mecha had a bright ring shape surround me following me wherever I moved. Without hesitation I casted fira, blizzara and thundara at the robot to slow it down but as the embers of the flames died down, the ice shattered to pieces of melting glass and the sparks from the heavens bounced and flashed the tracker was still on me and my attacks didn't even scratch it.

"No way!" I say aloud but to my horror the robot shot multiple bullets of energy and they all were aimed at me, they shot from the sky and shot into the ground. A few connected with my clothing, shredding them, and debris surround me leaving me blind now. I cough and cough while my eyes are closed but nothing happens until I hear something coming closer and soon wind swishes away the dust and the mecha, as I looked through my blurry eyes, was standing above me charging up for an energy attack. My limbs feel heavy and I cannot move not even breathe. All I know is that once the light grew brighter everything went dark.

I thought that death would feel painful but I felt fine. I open one eye slowly and then my eyes snap open completely in shock; Light was with me, I was wrapped around her arm and her eyes they looked like they were filled with rage.

"You alright?" She asks me without looking at me. I try to respond but my throat also feels as tight as my stomach.

"I know your shocked but we need you to fight with us. With four we have a better shot at beating this thing." Light says as she draws her gunblade and switches it to sword form.

"So, shall we? This'll be fun!" A woman says in blue clothing and charges at the mechanical praying mantis. Another figure walks up to me and I felt happy again,

"You alright Hope? Don't need you to pass out here!" Mel says to me with a smirk but not a gloating smirk but a welcoming one.

I finally smile in return to the two before me and found the words to say,

"Don't worry I'm fine we just need to beat this thing and help Snow, he's in bad shape and I mean really bad shape." I say as I stand up to my feet. Happy that Light and the others are here with me gave me enough strength to continue on. The woman, Fang, jumps back beside the three of us after landing a hard blow to the head and smirks happily. Now we stand united side by side weapons drawn four against one strong enemy. Lightning standes firm beside me and says something defiantly,

"Not even worth my time! So lets end this!" With that said she charges, Fang follows and so does Mel. I watch for a second then enter the battle field. All I hear is sounds of shouting and deafening sounds of attacks.

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A/N: finally done! Though this is sort of a three part chapter kind of thing. Sorry for the late update but at least I'm able to continue, we'll nothing more to say than thanks and, as always, Ciao! Til the next chapter. Review and whatnot, same as always in the previous chapters though it is up to you all as always... Ciao!


	11. Before Forgiveness

A/N: Hey everyone! It's me AeonLegacy, sorry for the slow updates but now it seems that I have time to pick up where I left off. Anyways sorry if the story seems off especially with Mel, the way she seems to be losing her memory is like she is going insane. But is she truly becoming mad or is it just one step closer to becoming or discovering something much more greater than it seems? Who knows but secrets will be revealed in later chapters: For now, Godere Amico's! (I think this is Italian for enjoy (my) friends. Sorry if not accurate.)

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Mel's POV:

The world seemed to have slowed down while fighting the Ushumgal Subjugator, blood and sparks flew in the air and landed elsewhere. The faint sounds of metal clashing against metal barely reached me as I leaned against the wall near the stairs Snow and Hope used as I tried casting cure or a strong enough curaja to stop the blood from flowing from my right shoulder down my entire arm that my vision wavered from blood loss. I looked through my faltering gaze to see Hope, Fang and Lightning still fighting the Subjugator but Hope was kneeling and breathing hard from the long fight that Fang had to remain in her sentinel role to fend off the attacks until he could heal himself and his two other companions while I sit here useless and bleeding out so much it's pathetic. Under the still descending sun the machine stands tall and menacingly unharmed, Fang seems to be getting annoyed standing there getting hit without so much as striking back just as much as Lightning is becoming infuriated by now as much as the Huntress that this fight is just dragging on. And Hope isn't doing so hot either, this is way too much for him to bear at least it's safe to say that he has gotten better since he still stands even with those attacks hurting him more than the other two.

"Damn it! For the love of Lady Luck or whatever! This thing is frigging annoying! But no matter what we had done its not going down." I say to myself with anger rising inside of me.

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

My arm begins to crackle and burst with life but there is not much I can do, even if it gives me strength or energy to rejoin the fight I doubt that it will do much in my current state, I lost too much blood and my breathing is ragged and laborious it won't let me stand up right.

"TAKE THIS YOU BASTARD!" Fang shouts as she leapt into the air once the machine stood idly by and struck down on the head the metal groaned from the force, while still in mid air she kept hitting the head until gravity pulled her back down forcing her to strke at the other less focused points. Once on the ground she disconnected her lance into a three part pole using the sharp end to dig itself into one of the pinchers and the other end into the belly of the beast. Whatever she planned on doing was interrupted as the mecha charged her head on, slamming into her and sent her flying my way. As if my gaze was glued onto her I saw Fang get sent flying into the wall beside me but just a foot away. The wall crumbled and dust swirled around the spot that got destroyed, as the dust slowly cleared I could see the huntress's legs sticking out of the gap but they looked like they were twitching, out of pain or trying to get back into the fight it was so hard to tell.

"F-Fang!" I cried out to her and all I hear is pained grunting but rubble starts moving then I can see her sitting upright with her hands holding the sides of the wall as support to bring herself upwards. She clicked her teeth in annoyance and I spotted a small trail of blood flow from the corner of her mouth, her arms up to her forearm and biceps are covered in cuts and bruises and her clothing is somewhat torn. She spits out blood and growls in a low tone,

"This thing doesn't know when to die yet yea? Great, I lost my Lance now what do I do? Got any ideas Kid?" She asks me once she turned her head to the side. I shook my head at her and she lets out a pained chuckle. I look at the scene then I hear her voice again but this time much fainter.

"Light and the other Kid won't stand a chance, I gotta go back and help." Fang says and she stands to her feet, taking a few steps she drops to her knees and grunts again. Now that I notice Hope skidded across the cement floor, blood slides with him and his clothing is slowly ripping apart. Once he stops skidding he doesn't move again.

"Hope...!" I say urgently but my voice is cracked, hoarse and dry it can barely be heard from above a whisper. My heart is hurting so much that so much pain and blood is spilling around me but now all I see is Lightning standing before the enemy with the white knight Odin beside her it its first form, Ullrs shield in one hand and Zantetsuken in the other by now Light and her Eidolon is too weak to continue but still they clash against the Armies enemy defiantly.

"Odin!" I hear Light shout and then rose petals swirl independently around the master and servant as Odin begins to transform into its gesalt mode as the white and golden stallion with Lightning sitting upon its back wielding Zantetsuken in her nimble and small hands compared to the twin swords hilts.

'Lightning Strike! Then Razor Gale. Thunderfall and Zantetsuken the attack itself her spinning in mid air striking the enemy with her blades swirling around her and nimbly landing on the ground unharmed but even her movements look shaken and blood appear here and there and it seems even her uniform it becoming tattered. But like Fang said before we need to end this fight before the army actually gets here!' I try once more to stand and to aid my companions but my cure spell ended so long ago I forgot about it but what amazed me was my arm it still crackled with life but it made me wonder why?

'This power is beyond any mortals wild imaginations, that is what Lady Etro told me what felt like was a long time ago. I wonder if this power could increase my reflexes, grant me strength and inhumane speed then can it affect others like it would me? Could it heal others too? Goddess Etro who watches over time and history and guides the fallen to their death, is this power not only a tool of war but a power to save the wounded?' I had thought to myself and the light from my arm brightens so much it has caught Fangs attention.

"What the-?! What's up with your arm? I mean I thought those were only scars!?" She cries in surprise as she sort of backs away from me but then flinches in pain again with the small trickle of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. Then it hit me, the Huntress is closer so why not try. Besides she's too stubborn to die too.

"Fang? Do me a favor, and stay right there." I say to her as loudly as I could while pointing my palm at her. She looks surprised and raises her voice.

"What are you doing? Strike the enemy not me!" She says with what seems like betrayal in her jade eyes .

"I'm sorry, I won't know for sure what will happen but if you trust me then we can end this fight." I say to her trying to get her to believe me but the fire grows brighter in her eyes.

"Would you trust me if Vanille did? Because if she wanted this to stop so she wouldn't see any of her friends get hurt she'd do anything right? And who would know that, other than herself, than her best friend? Please Fang... If not for your comrades then do it for Vanille, please?" I implore her to trust me but once I said Vanilles name her fire died and replaced it with something else.

"Fine, for Nille. But if I die because I trusted you I'll come back to kill you then ill kick your arse for the rest of eternity got it?!" She says and I see that smirk on her face. I nod and stare into her eyes. In seconds lightning shoots from my palm and strikes Fang almost like I was struck only it hits her abdomens and she screams in pain but clenches her teeth to keep it inside. Soon the blue white glow begins to turn into the same white green color of a cure related spell and the screams end. Fang begins to relax and her cuts, bruises, blood all disappear before my eyes even her clothes are repaired. Once the ray I shot at her stops and retreats back into my arm she stands to her feet, eyes closed, inhales and exhales, then opens her eyes. They look renewed and full of energy.

"Wow! I feel stronger already. Why didn't you use that trick before?" She says with energy in her voice.

"I didn't think I could use my power to heal before up until now." I say in return.

"Whatever I believe ya and I trust ya! Go help the kid while I help Light she needs it!" That's all I heard once she ran toward the mecha that looks like its slowing down more and looks more damaged. I nod and turn to Hope who looks terribly pale even from the distance put between us. I aimed my arm at him and the same light hits hit body, it lifts him off of the ground and same as Fang heals his wounds, repairs his clothes and grants him new strength to continue on. He appears to be shaking his head like he's shaking away a dream and looks ahead of him and rejoins the fight. Fang and Hope join the fight now the only one I need to heal is SOLDIER. I aim at her but there is no clear shot she keeps somersaulting and jumping all over the place that I'll miss or heal the enemy by mistake.

"LIGHTNING!" I shout since my voice recovers. Light hears me and turns her head to me, before I could shoot the mecha brings a leg above its head to hit her but Fang interferes by blocking the attack with my buster blade that I lost in the beginning of the fight. With this much time I aim and shoot at the former Sargent, she tries to dodge but gets hit anyway and is renewed too. She looks at me and gapes at me with shock but now healed they strike. Hope casts enthunder to heighten their attacks with thunder based spell into their weapons and both SOLDIER and the huntress jumps into the air: the grabbed each other by the forearm and Light casted a strong aero spell to give them more velocity, they let go and bring their weapons above their heads and in a swift strike slash right through the metal. The battle ended once the machine is still and that was when it fell in two pieces, no explosion whatsoever but still they became triumphant. I used the spell to heal myself but once I used it on my self the light faded. Also I felt this strange tug at my heart and a slight throb in the back of my head, once I stood to my feet the pain grew stronger I was forced to use the wall as support to keep me from falling on my butt again.

"What's going on?" I said weakly to myself, I took a couple of steps and my body feels weaker now than before I healed myself. My head throbs it hurts more than a migraine, my eyes feel like they're tearing up with water flowing down them and not only that my body weighs a thousand pounds the weight pulls me to hit the ground and everything is enveloped in darkness.

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_Flashback:_

The darkness clears and I am standing in a small classroom like the ones young kindergardeners used. Childish drawings hang on clothes lines around the class overhead and children are piling into the class, they are taking their seats in those colorful chairs of red, yellow, orange and blue. Plus there were two adults standing in front of the class; one a young woman about her mid twenties wearing a black silk over shirt, detailed black and white blouse, long black skirt that reached below her knees, dark high heel office like shoes. She had long straight dark brown hair with warm brown eyes and a warm smile on her face.

"Good morning class, today we have a special guest who will be starting kindergarden with all of you. Come, tell us your name please?" The teacher asks nicely.

The man had a small child with him a young girl the age of four with long brown hair tied in a pony tail with big brown scared and shy eyes looking from the teacher up to her dad. Her dad was a very tall and large man with semi long haired bangs that sweeps to the sides of his face, he looked young himself though about his early twenties also. He stood to six feet and one inch wearing a large white tee shirt with the 'Town and Country' logo as 'T&C' on the front of his shirt, dark surf like shorts and slippers with a pouch clipped around his waist. His large fair hand rests itself onto the girls head and she closes her eyes and blushes shyly.

"Come on out, say hi to everyone." The dad says and the girl looks at him with tears forming in her eyes. She lets go of her dads hand and slowly walks beside the teacher, she is seen wearing a pink backpack, a white shirt in blue denim overalls that the pants are like shorts and she has white fox shoes. While averting her gaze from meeting anyone's eyes she said softly,

"M-Mel... My name is Mel W-Winters..." Tears roll down from her eyes and she retreats back to her dad. The teacher smiles and the class applauded for the young girl. But she said her name is Mel Winters, is that girl supposed to be the younger me?

Soon the man leaves and the young girl is left alone, she begins to cry and the teacher shows her to her seat where she wipes her tears away and sits there quietly. Throughout class nobody approached her but there were a few rude boys who went up to her and took her crayons and spilled her juice on her art project she was getting into. She stared at it in horror and remained silent, even when the teacher sent the boys into time out she didn't say anything or do anything she sat there staring in shock that her hard work was ruined beyond repair. And later in the day some other students asked her if she was a boy or girl because even at a young age she had androgynous appearance. I can't be sure to why I am seeing this but is this supposed to be my memories?

By then I heard a slight creaking sound and this memory, like it turned into glass, shatters this memory and replaces it with another memory.

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Flashback 2:

This is about fourth grade and young Mel is about nine to ten years old but instead of overalls her clothes are a green tee shirt with a white long sleeve shirt under it, dark blue pants that are rolled up at the ends of the pants and white and black with a bit of green skater sneakers. Young Mel's hair is a bit shorter now but still long enough to be tied back but now she looks like she is more of a boy due to her clothes and the classroom, though fairly bigger, looks like it is decorated for Valentines Day. I looked around the room and spotted a clock, I looked at the younger me to see her looking at the clock as well.

"School will be ending soon huh Mel?" I looked to see a young boy wearing a Giants cap backwards with fair skin, blond hair, grey eyes in a red Nike shirt, black shorts and a goofy smile on his face say to the younger me.

"Yeah, I can't wait to get out of here. I don't like Valentines Day at school, I like celebrating it with my family than classmates..." The younger me says in a tone that is still that of a girl but is trying to mask it with a young boys voice.

The boy has a questionable gaze on his face and chuckles,

"What? How can you hate today? This is the day where you give and receive chocolates, especially by those you like! Besides if I remember correctly you were the only one to get any from all of the girls in class, that's an achievement Mel!"

The younger me stops drawing since the mechanical pencil stopped moving on the paper and looks at the boy beside her straight in the eyes. In a low and serious tone they talked of what she thought was true,

"Brandon look we've been friends since the beginning of first grade and you still don't see me looking at anyone like you and your other friends do? I just want to focus on my school and on sports okay? If I started a relation with someone then I won't be able to become a state champion. And I won't have much time to draw as I like so yeah. You got it?" She stares at those grey eyes but they look hopelessly clueless and confused.

"Besides getting sweets from all of the girl classmates is not an achievement it's a nuisance got it? Besides if I get any stick with me until A-plus then I'll let you have all of my candy." Then those grey eyes flashed with energy.

"Really?! Thanks Mel your the best! Well I'm gonna take my seat, talk to ya after class okay?" Then he leaves and walks across the room to his desk and the younger me resumes drawing.

Now everything is shrouded in white fog but when I can see past it it is the same flashback only the school day has ended and I can see everything in first person perspective like I've become my younger self. Now I'm putting things away in my bag and the class is almost deserted since there are a few girls from this class and another class still lingering around. I stood to my feet with one bag strap slung over my right shoulder and my drawing book my shoes squeaking over the polished white tiled floor and I walk to the exit which happens to be blocked. One girl is standing in front of me fidgeting in place and blushing, she wore pretty much all black almost like those punk outfits but she Thad nice red hair under a black beanie and very unique violet eyes, she's a few inches shorter than me( I'm about five two maybe at this age.) and looks like she has trouble speaking. The other girls wore different clothing from her but they all had unique and pretty feature too: from punk to popular to sporty to whatever almost all the categories of cliques were there but they were all felt like a bothersome bunch and right now they are bothering me.

"Hey Mel.. Sorry to bother you but I was kind of wondering if you could... Uhm..." The red head before me kept looking away and looking at me from time to time and her face got redder every time she looked at me. I exhaled deeply and said to all of the girls in the room with me.

"I am sorry but I do not think I will be able to accept any of your Valentines gift. I doubt I will be able to carry them all anyways. Please do not see me as a mean person or a hurtful jerk but things would just get complicated if you all told me you all have affections for me. Think this over please, do I really look like the type of person you'd all want to chase around campus for a single glance? If you would please excuse me I'm late for A-Plus." Soon I see the girls look shocked and they mechanically moved aside and I walk out the door. A few minutes until I reached a deserted corridor leading to the west exit to the cafeteria I hear rushed footsteps behind me. I stop and turned to see the punk dressed red head girl from before, she looks like she had to run to catch up to me. I look at her with a serious gaze and looked like she appears hurt.

"Do you need anything else? Or do you just like the sound of my voice even when I'm lecturing you? Whatever your purpose is that you have with me I had already explained to you in class things would only get complicated if you told me of you feelings." I told her in the same serious tone. She looks up and hides her pain in vain,

" so what I didn't want to just tell you how I feel but I wanted to know if you could help me with my chemistry homework. And my name is Emily Serenity, but you can call me Lily." She says with her hand in front of her. I look at her hand then I shook it.

"Nice to meet you Lily." We look at each other for a moment then the tension dies down. We stare at each other then a random conversation starts.

Now the memory turns to glass as well like the first memory and darkness takes me back again.

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Fangs POV:

'The news continues to say how the big bad L'cie are still terrorizing the town. And it seems there were tons of witnesses that saw their great protectors get attacked by two L'cie. Jeez way to go Snow, let everyone know your here by making a big scene. Could have done it discretely. Oh well, at least we made it to Felix Heights without much trouble after that mechanical weapon that tried to kill us so things were quiet. Only problem was Mel, blacked out after we won the fight. Scared both Hope and oddly Lightning and we just don't know what happened.

"We'll find out once things cool down okay? Don't need to worry alright Fang?" Fang turns around and sees Hope standing near the couch with a glass of water in his hand.

"are you thirsty? Made you some water if you wanted." He says nonchalantly as he holds the cup out. I look at him then the cup and smile.

"Sure, thanks kiddo." I say to him cooly and accept the water. The water tastes refreshing and cool it felt like years since I drank anything.

"So how's everything with yer old man? Make up to him?" I asked out of curiosity.

He looks away from me then looks back.

"Yeah we did, now we are just waiting for Snow to apologize to my dad and explain to him what happened. But Lightnings talking to him right now and she's making sure Mel is fine to. I'm worried that Mel won't wake up either..."

I look at him curiously, he didn't say Mel's gender either. What could the kid be a boy or a girl? Not knowing things bother me so much damn it!

"The army can't rest and whatever that note that fell out of the kids jacket pocket is trying to tell us we can't stay here that long. You know what we have to do once they know where we are right?" I asked him and it doesn't take a mind reader to know what he's thinking about.

"Yeah. Well, I'll see you later. If you need anything ill be in my room, night Fang." With that he leaves. I sat on the couch then I laid out on top of it, it felt really comfortable. I stared at the ceiling for a bit then I reached into my own pack and pulled out that paper that fell out of Mel's pocket. I read the words again and again until I couldn't stand to read it again. I placed it on the table next to me and slowly closed my eyes with my hand around my lance. But even when my eyes are closed I could somewhat see the words in my mind:

"The world will come to an end, the world will end soon. The special two will become the beast, the shield will be called to the otherworld and the interloper will lose everything and be damned beside the chosen champion. The servants lost their role, what will the master do now?"

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A/N: oh wow it's late now that I've finished this chapter. This one is longer than normal. Well I hope this chapter was good and it sort of makes up for my absence. As always please leave a comment, review, leave bad/good criticism or whatever you want to leave just leave it if you want. Anyway, until next time Ciao!


	12. Forgiveness Where's Nille and Sahz?

A/N: Hey everybody! It's me again, starting up with the next chapter. Thank you all for the reviews, follows, whatnot so far. Though its not much its actually big for me since it means my fanfic is doing well. Anyways now I'm going to reveal something's from Mel's past, Lightning's, what's going to happen next and with a sort of twist in the plot when they go to rescue Sahz and Vanille from YOU KNOW WHO?! Dysley... Aka: Barthandales... I hate him so much... Anyway enjoy the story! :D.

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Omni POV:

The Palamicia ran smoothly through the clouds and looked deeply terrifying as the sun had become dusk with the shadows now making the aircraft ominous and eerie in its unique way. The Soldiers on the craft were all relaxing in their bunk rooms and entertainment areas right after they left the amusement park Nautilus, they just apprehended two Pulse L'cie and are now hanging down below deck being guarded by the feral and flan creatures they had at their control. They weren't the only special cargo the army were handling. The Primarch Galenth Dysley were in the main control room watching and waiting for any news of the remaining fugitives they were hunting down. In the small dark room with only several monitors arranged to his liking projected light inside of the room.

"Where are you slaves?" He muttered to himself, his dark eyes scanning over the screens over and over as if waiting for something to grab at him.

"Grrrarr! NOTHING! Nothing has revealed itself to me since the night before... Why?!" Dysley had roared out of anger to himself as he slammed his fist against the large keyboard spread before him, the sound of his fist slamming echoed in the little hovel room.

"I have been able to track their movements, my tools of destructions whereabouts and what they planned on doing. Whomever is the one supplying me these visions I should personally thank... For they had aided me in capturing two of the needed six servants of Anima at that 'Park Of Dreams'. So far the visions had ended when the two L'cie we have on board were brought into our care..." Now the Primarch narrows his dark eyes to slits and starts to mull things over.

"My plan would have gone well if only these simpletons who wave their trained and highly manufactured weapons around as if children with toys wanting to impress those who don't know the basics of such tools. Now all I must do is to lure the others out... But how to do so...?" Dysley starts to contemplate, gathering his thoughts together, wanting to come with a solution for this strange and annoying anomaly presented before him as he begins to pace back and forth in front of the blank, blue and white light screens.

"KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!"

Dysley halts in place and glares at the door before he answers,

"Who dares disturb the great, and powerful, Voice Of Cocoon?!" He hisses out of hatred with a deep scorn in his eyes that it could actually burn through the metal door.

"Forgive me Milord but we have news that there are now seven L'cie fugitives wandering about in Cocoon." The woman's voice said through the metal.

This caught the false man in disguise in by surprise for he knew that there were mainly six that were needed to fulfill his plans to eradicate Cocoon, Gran Pulse and their inhabitants. Surly this must be someone who was seen with them, unless...

"Come forth Jihl, I have something's I wish to discuss with you." The man says urgently, urgently enough that the Lieutenant Coloneil enters with haste. She bows respectfully and adjusted her thin glasses from falling from her face.

"Your eminence, what is there you wish to discuss?" She asks calmly but inside she is terrified of the man she swore to protect and serve, something about him made her feel uneasy but would only shrug the feeling away.

"This seventh L'cie reports have stated were running around with six others intel had gathered, whom is this new L'cie?" He asks nonchantly but his eyes show they are very eager to know.

Jihl cleared her throat and pulled out a few files she had on her since she received them.

"Sir, the seventh L'cie, as reported, is merely a child of sixteen who seems to be very resourceful. From what PSICOM recon and intelligence have gathered the child seems to know our every move long before we make them and, though looks are deceiving, is much stronger than we had thought. With this child alone they had wiped out most of our forces without so much as trying that the other L'cie seem insignificant compared to this L'cie."

Dysely replays the words in his head before speaking.

"Are there any distinct descriptions this child has Lieutenant Colonial?"

The PSICOM leader nodded firmly,

"Yes sir, reports state that the seventh L'cie has both the appearance of male and female, the brand is on their right shoulder and that the most distinct description is on their entire left arm to their shoulder, palm and fingers is burn marks resembling natures strongest force: lightning."

'This child intrigues me, lightning shaped burn marks... I wonder...'

"Thank you Lieutenant you may return to your duties now..." Dysley commanded calmly.

"Sir!" Jihl saluted then made her way out of the room and the Primarch is now all alone once more. His eyes are closed and is lost in deep thought, he stood in front of the monitor screens thinking and then looked at the blank screens once more.

"I wonder if this child is the 'one' I had called forth from the 'other world', the chosen interloper from the world beyond our own world...?

* * *

Mels POV:

"So, please sir. Forgive me... I failed to protect your wife from the Army because she protected me, I believed that I could do anything to make it up to her was by saving everyone. She also, before she died, asked me to bring your son home... At the time I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I had ignored his pain, even though he stood right beside me and I remained oblivious to his feelings..." Snow began to pour his heart out into the words he spoke to Hopes dad, Bartholomew Estheim, about the events from Hanging Edge and what happened to his wife, Nora Estheim. Everyone in the room was silent and somehow motionless, never said a word throughout Snows explanation. He sat there looking at the kneeling man with calm, teary eyes and listened intently. Hope sat beside his dad with that guilty look on his face and the same pain he showed when he saw his mom fall to her death, it wasn't anyone's fault that she died the way she did if the military didn't start the purge she would have been fine but this is only the beginning of that cursed Fal'cies plan to destroy everything to summon the Maker anyways... Besides this is what I heard when I first woke up, cries of pain and sorrow crept themselves into my ears especially while I was still asleep. I looked at the scene before me and they continued.

"No, you have already fulfilled Nora's final wish. That was all that you needed to do in order to make everything up to her, Nora. You have brought our son home, I thank you on our behalf." Bartholomew says to Snow who gets down on his knees on his own floor and bows before the large man in gratitude, Snow looks speechless and seems to be fidgeting in place looking unsure of what to do. Hope looks at his dad with sadness in his eyes again and ultimately kills the mood in my opinion.

"We'll be staying for awhile and then we will leave. The army is tracking us and we don't want, I mean I don't want anything to happen to you dad..." Hope stares at his dad who stares back at him in silence but I didn't stick around long enough to see what they were going to do or say but then again I already knew. Instead I walked right outside, even though the enemy is searching for L'cie like me I felt that tonight is a good night to sit outside under the starry night, yet I need to watch the amount of time I spend outside anyways for the Sanctums in a way failed preemptive strike.

The metal, wooden replica, door slides open upwards as I came nearer and stood a foot away from it. It clicks and buzzes then rises upwards letting me leave, the cool night air greeted me as I went outside and the crickets chirped peacefully too it made the atmosphere have that calm feel to it that I felt my anxiety melt away and that the army felt vey far away too.

"Goddess Etro had called me in my sleep this time, a new power has been granted to me. She said it in a strange language, Potestatem, or the power of control. I am able to control anyone and anything physically, spiritually etc. to my will and the one who I control has no recollection of the events that occurred while under my spell, so to speak. But that conversation we had back in Valhalla it frightens me now and I don't like it...

* * *

Flashback-Valhalla:

I stare at the golden light upon the crystal throne in disbelief, my heart pounding from inside of my throat that words would not form nor could I breathe.

"Why do you seem shock young one?" The divine voice asks me almost innocently as if it already forgot of what she had just told me!

My lips quivered as I tried to speak, it took me what felt like hours to actually say the words.

"My memories are already fading?! But where do they go?! What has become of them?! My memories are practically key for me to remain sane in this strange yet unique world! Tell me what has become of my memories!?" I cried out to the light in anger that could not be contained.

"It is always a mystery to not know where our memories come and go, even we the divine beings are puzzled by this. Though it is not something I would do for just any human I have carried your forgotten memories that you have given up in exchange for the use and gain of your powers and have stored them here within my crystal throne. See how it no longer glimmers brightly to my light?" Etro explains and I looked at her throne, it doesn't catch the light and shine brightly like it did the first few times I came here.

"When you no longer possess your memories and you are called forth here to become the shield to protect my champion from harm the replica of this seat will shatter and return your lost memories entirely. But be aware that once they return they will rush at you all at once and it will be a battle of will power, a test, to see if you deserve to possess what you have lost once more. In the mean time I shall keep your forgotten memories safe."

I stared at the light and it shimmered and glowed brightly that my eyes had to squint and I used my hands to block out the brightness. Once the brightness faded I lowered my hands and I swear that I felt my eyes widen.

"Why do you look so surprised, Interloper? Is there something that surprises you so your eyes suddenly widened?" The female figure before me says in the same divine voice as Etro. I felt my face flush and then burn and my body suddenly felt like it was shaking, the figure starting walking toward me and I covered my eyes and turned away.

"What is the matter with you? Why are you looking away, are you embarrassed by something?" She asks in a confused tone, not sure how she looks because I am not looking directly at her anymore.

"C-could you p-please put s-something on! Your full on exposed!" I stuttered to the figure without looking.

I hear a confused sound like a muffled 'hmm?' and a small chuckle.

"Oh, I see you turn your eyes away because I am not clothed properly."

"Not clothed properly, you have nothing on at all! Please show some decency your a Goddess for goodness sake!" I cried out of instinct and I really didn't want to see the woman like that it was so weird...

"Alright I shall be back." With that I heard footsteps, flesh walking upon the floor nearly silently it was close at first then it began to fade. When I no longer heard a sound I reopened my eyes and slowly turned to the crystal throne. I walked slowly to it, it grew larger and magnificent under the pale light that shined down upon it. But like Etro had said it no longer gleamed and glowed like it would have, like crystals do when light shines through the surface. On the inside I saw floating carnations of darkness and carnations of light in that throne swirling around one another like in some sort of graceful dance, I was mesmerized by the sight but I felt sad. These were my memories, locked away outside of me outside of my own thoughts! They were the only things I have in this world and I no longer will possess them, I will become a shell of false memories like those people from the movie "Rekall" where you can live in a world that you want instead of the reality you live in. I felt my eyes begin to build up water but nothing was shed from them.

"I have returned Interloper, come I have much to discuss with you while I am still in contact with your psyche. The connection will grow stronger but for now we are on as you mortals would say on a 'time limit' even though my world is timeless and non-existent." This time I turned and I swore that I gasped.

Etro's human form was a beautiful fair woman with long flowing silver blond hair in silver armor almost similar to Lightning's armor in 13-2 only with a sun like crown rested on her head, a white cape flowed from her shoulders down like a brides veil, the shoulder guards were rounded but were spiked outward with lone spikes. Her complexion was stunning and flawless, her unnatural green and sea blue eyes were amazing and they seem to be looking through me it made me feel cold for some reason but they also had a warm pull on them too. The Goddess folded her arms across her chest as she did with her legs she reminded me of the concept art of Megurine Luka from the Vocaloid Wikipedia just because of her stance.

"Okay, what is there to discuss?" I asked politely.

Etro waved her hand and began to walk, I followed beside her. We were walking within the threshold of her temple and it looked like a well kept, well maintained, forgotten castle but I didn't really pay attention to the buildings details nor structures I simply listened to the Goddess's words intently.

"What I wished to discuss is your strange arrival and your powers. You see after defeating a difficult challenge that had presented itself in this world you gain what are called 'Fragments' in my world. Each fragment is different, like Materia. Materia are mediums that hold a special key power but your powers are very different. Anyway like I had asked you in the beginning if you knew of the term Equivalent Exchange it is meant to tell you that you gave up something precious to gain that new power, it is never optional it takes from you to give you what deems worthy to your feat. Like this new power, I have logged into my Beastiry or log book. This power is listed as "Potestatem" or the power to control the mind. All you need to do is to look at the person, group or beast or simply touch them and you have accessed their mind. Give them an order and they will follow it, the one or those you have control of will not know they are under your control and will not have any recollection of the events not during it nor after. Now about your arrival. It seems that you were actually dragged from your own dimension through many others to be here."

"Wait, something pulled me from my own reality, from my own world through other worlds? Is that even possible? How come I was chosen? There are many more candidates than me who is more qualified for this sort of thing!' I said as I try to think through my confusion.

"There was a tale of which I heard from days before I was made and chosen to be the Goddess of Death and Time; Long ago they said that the Maker created a beast in form of a canine, a simple mutt that was loyal and brave and very powerful. They said the beast would watch the world in place of the Maker and to report of any dangers that would befall upon the world of mortals. One day the beast wandered the world and came across a mortal man named Lindzei. He spoke of lies and hate that it corrupted the dog's mind and when it returned to the Maker he saw it changed. The beast was stripped of its powers and was sealed away, and legends say that the beast had swore that the one who is worthy to its powers will one day summon the Maker and destroy the worlds with its powers. They said that the worthy and powerful could use the beast's powers to cross through time and space, through many dimensions than its own. It could take, twist and bend anything from the world it took from, not only that but the canine was a puppeteer and the one who has its power to bend and twist reality could call forth a puppet to command. And I believe that someone or something saw you were special. The storm from your world was no ordinary storm, lightning and thunder sounded and flashed but that was merely the test. And you passed it, you bear the mark of the chosen and lived. But who called you that night I have yet to figure out..." Etro says to me with a deep gaze in her eyes a sort of far away look as she spoke.

'I have an idea of who might have taken me from my own world but only because Etro said the one who wants to summon the Maker and wants to destroy Cocoon and Gran Pulse all the same. If we do confront him there is a chance for me to get answers from him.' I thought to myself as I thought of the suspects that came to mind that I think could be the one who pulled me out of my own world. But the purpose of why they would want to bring an outsider to their home world puzzled me and why did it have to have been me to survive that lightning strike that night? What was it about me that made me special that I lived?

"It seems that the time limit has been reached, time to return to your body now. Until we meet again, farewell Interloper." Etro says to me as I looked where she looked, a swirling dark vortex appeared out of nowhere a few feet in front of us. It looked like it was inhaling dust and debris yet the pull from the portal was light as a gentle breeze. I looked at the goddess then nodded, I walked casually toward the portal until I was close enough to feel the pull become stronger. Once I was barely a foot away I was lifted a few inches off the ground and then I was pulled back into the darkness.

* * *

Present Time:

Since I woke up in the same room Snow was in while he was resting because his wounds were fatal but not life threatening he was the first to greet me. I felt like I was in a daze since then but with my senses awakening again I couldn't get my mind off of the conversation since.

'Shsh-Ttnk!'

I heard the door open then close and footsteps were right behind me, light ones, then they stopped.

"You sure have guts to come out here in the open. Either that or your just crazy!" Someone says behind me, but I didn't have to be a genius to figure out who has an Australian accent at this very place and moment.

"Hello Fang, need something from me?" I asked her without having to face her.

The footsteps began to pick up again then I looked to the side to see the huntress take a seat beside me. One leg was straight while the other bent close to her chest that she could rest her arms on it while her head rested on her arms.

"Nope, Lightning and Snow asked me to come check on you. Said you looked blank and troubled at the same time if that was ever possible, ya know?" She says casually. I just stared at her.

"Light and Hope told me you know where Vanille is right now, and that you're just like me and Nille. Not born on Cocoon but not from Gran Pulse either, hmm... Where do you come from?" Fang suddenly asks me.

"Why so interested? To answer your questions yes I do know where Vanille is, she's with Sahz Katzroy in the amusement park Nautilus. But if we go now we will lose their trail. And before you ask she and the old man will be captured by the Army. If-" I began but was immediately cut off.

"If you know she is going to be taken in by the Sanctum then lets get her now!" Fang says as she she cuts me off, probably wasn't the best idea to tell her Vanille was going to be arrested...

"Fang! If you go now then we will never catch up to them, they will be taking them back to the Sanctum but once they release information of capturing the enemy then that will be the moment that we will go to get to them." I told her urgently.

"Why?! If we go now we won't need to worry!" Fang shouts at me, her eyes looked like they were full of concern and worry.

"Fang trust me I know what will happen if you go off on your own then everything will be undone. Everyone will die, you and Vanille everyone! Just wait, don't you trust me enough to understand why I try to convince you guys to not do the things that you do? It's to keep everything in order!" I shout to her in return.

"What makes you so sure?! You never lost anything before in your life, lost something, someone precious to you. If you have then let me know." Before she rushed her way inside I lost it.

"I HAVE LOST SOMETHING! EVERYTHING!" I screamed but loud enough for her to hear and to not let anyone else hear me. Fang stopped at the door when it opened and slowly looked back at me.

"You... Have? Like what?" She asks softly.

"Everything. I lost my home, my family, my friends, my future, my dreams. Fang I'm even losing my memories as we speak. My memories were the only thing I have in this world, memories of my home, but now I'm losing them the very key to my return to home... Look I'm sorry for sounding so nonchalant when I told you Vanille will be taken to the Sanctum but we will get to them... Soon PSICOM will come because they were able to track us here. Once we get rid of them we will move on alright?" I asked her once I finished telling her what I lost and what I will never have again... She just stands there with her back to me and mumbles,

"I'm sorry, later then..."

And walks inside. I return to gaze at the stars until I hear another set of footsteps, they are much more quiet then Fangs but still I was able to hear them.

"You and Fang had a fight?" I turned around this time to see Lightning. Her face looked full of concern while under the moonlight of Phoenix.

"Yeah, I told her about where Vanille is, I thought I should have let her know but I made it sound like it was no big deal when I told her that she and the old man will be captured at Nautilus. I made her upset but hopefully she forgives me for the I sounded to her, I'm so stupid." I looked back at the ground and turned forward, before I knew it Light was by me two.

"So the Army will come soon huh? We will be ready for them." She says in the same serious tone but for some reason her tone sounded softer like its not as harsh as before.

"This may sound personal but could I ask you something? I overheard you and Fang arguing... You said that you lost everything, even you're memories... Why is that?" She asks calmly. I looked into her foolhardy cerulean eyes and answered.

"You see my scars on my entire left arm?" I asked her as I raised my arm up.

"I was struck by lightning during a storm while I was still home, but the storm was not an ordinary storm. When I was struck my arm bore this and when I was taken out of my own world to be here I was granted powers, powers I used long before we were branded as L'cie. I was called by a divine voice and spoke to someone who was able to connect to me through the other world, the world beyond. I was in Valhalla... If you can believe that, anyways the voice told me that to use or gain new powers I would have to give something up in return. And what I was force to give up were my memories, the only thing I have left, I gained the power the control the mind and I lost two of my memories at least. But that doesn't matter, we need to get back inside before-"

"BOOM!CRASH!"

"What was that?!" Lightning asks me as she turned in surprise.

"It's the army, lets go!"

* * *

When we got inside there was a large gaping hole from the side of the living room, a few soldiers were swarming inside looking around for their targets. Light was looking through the dust and debris, she held her hand up without looking at me showing me there were about six grunts inside.

"See the others?" I whispered to her, but she held her hand firmly. Maybe I should stay quiet for now. I looked across the hall to see Fang and Hope doing the same as us, Fang is pointing to the ceiling and tosses something over. Light caught it before it could crash against the floor and gave it to me.

" This is an anti-gravitational device designed for climbing anything, like a glove shape Grav. Com. That I used before. The ceiling is pretty high up, see if you can do anything with the grunts while the rest of us takes care of the big ones." Light whispers to me, I looked at her then Fang and finally Hope and nodded. I slipped the black material gloves on my hands and the metal links on the back of the gloves hands began to glow light, soft blue grey. Not sure how to use this I put one hand on the wall then the other and began climbing felling lightweight. I climbed until I reached the ceiling and crawled on the ceiling, until I reached the first three grunts they were just pacing around, releasing my hold with my left hand I felt a small surge of energy coursing through my veins and the blue lightning became violet. The purple sparks bounced and crashed like normal but made no noise, at first something was crawling out of my palm then my eyes widened while I see appendages began crawling out of my palm. There were six of the tentacles, one per soldier. Once the light became stronger they saw me but before they could shoot me the appendages shot out and attached itself onto one soldier, once we were connected I felt something in my head like several tugs somewhere. Then I heard whispering, lots of them swirling around in my own thoughts it was hard to concentrate. But I held on as long as I could and thought of a command to give to these soldiers, the enemies I am forcing to become our allies.

"Buy us time to get away, shoot at our enemies and protect us. You will be doing the state a favor by aiding the heroes. You all will be rewarded the medal of honors by doing this."

The appendages began glowing a violent violet color once I finished the command and the soldiers took aim from our side aiming at their fellow comrades. I let go of my hold on the ceiling and landed on the ground after casting an aero spell to cushion my fall. I took my place by a wall and I see Snow outside trying to parley with Yagad Rosch.

"But we're from Cocoon! Haven't you thought that we wouldn't attack our hometown?!" Snow cried.

"Yes but you are still L'cie, we of the Sanctum control the populace by controlling their fear. The people fear what they do not know so we must protect them by doing what we must to be sure that the big, bad L'cie don't show up at their doorstep. It is better to save the lives of many than to spare the lives of the few. Execute them!"

Rosch's platoon raise their guns and were about to shoot at us through the remaining rubble and the gaping hole in the wall, instead I intervened and shouted to the soldiers under my control.

"Fire! Leave the commander alive! Shoot anyone of the enemies soldiers now!" The platoon on our side raised their own guns and fired quicker than Rosch's forces. Before more reinforcements came a gas was released and something took out the remaining soldiers that the Sanctum brought with them.

"Attacked from friendly fire?!" Was all I heard but I knew he retreated. The Calvary came and destroyed the first airship but that was it before they drew other forces attention away, just one airship remained fixed on us. The four off us jumped into the open and rushed to the platform to face the Haul ship. Snow was about to join in but Lightning stood by him before rushing into the fight telling him,

"Our turn Hero."

Then followed us. We all drew our weapons and stood ready, the ships left port side haul shot rockets at us and probably killed the soldiers I controlled, their thoughts were silenced, from where the rockets hit.

"You bastards wanna play?! Well then lets play shall we?! You have something we want and we are taking it back!" Fang shouts at the ship and spun her lance several times above her head, slammed it into the ground next to her and raised at fist at the ship. I raised my twin blades, one forward the other reversed, and got ready for a much longer fight..

"Enchant..." I quietly said when my arm was brought to life. I gave myself and my group a boost from my powers then as if rehearsed Hope and I unleashed an strong mix force of thundara and firaga and the four of us began to launch our assault.

* * *

A/N: Wohoo! This chapter is finally done! I finally updated. Well this chapter I say is the longest I have ever done so far. Well hope you all enjoyed it, like to that everyone who has read, reviewed, liked and faved my story just thanks everyone it's stuff like this that tells me this isn't a waste. I suppose. Okay now lets see what will happen later on, should anyone have questions of anything they wanna ask go right ahead, leave your question in the review box and I will try my best to answer it and as quickly as possible. Now until next time... Ciao!


	13. Battleship! Can we even relax?

A/N: hey there again everyone! Are you all doing okay? Just asking randomly cuz I feel random right now. Well this is more a sit down and talk chapter right after Fang, Hope, Lightning and Mel deal with the Sanctums Port Ship(habit of calling the boss that cuz forgot its actual name) and after they take care of Hopes dad and high tail out of Palumpolum. Anyways before we start I would like to answer a question left by someone that goes by the pen name: Gravenimage. They asked if, and I quote, "I was pairing the male OC of this fanfic with Lightning." And the main characters name is Mel Winters just for a refresher. Well no actually it's more of a sibling relationship like she and Serah shares and eventually with Hope not really a romance thing because one: Mel is a 16 year old junior in high school and two: He is actually a she with androgynous appearance, her clothes are boy clothes so it makes her seem like she's a boy. Hopefully this answers your question, as I left in the last chapter I will answer any questions you all may have and will try to answer them as soon as I can, so yeah... Well enjoy chapter, I think, 13!

* * *

Mel's POV:

"Holy crap, look out!" I cried as me and Hope were running for our lives as one by one the Port ship fired missiles that would hit and shake the ground beneath our feet that would just barely graze us by so much.

"What the hell are you two doing?! Get back here right now!" I heard Fang shout at us over the sounds of explosions, but she needs to help Lightning right now because before all this I told Hope of the attack first hand and showed him with my new power to control the mind and on the other hand Hope has much stronger magic than me, Light and Fang combined so we need to do this right!

"Ready Hope?!" I shouted to the silver haired teen who was running a few inches behind me.

"Ready when you are!" He cried in return.

"Okay then..." I looked into the sky to see dark storm clouds begin to roll into the picture. Maybe Etro is finally stepping in here to lend us a hand. When the two of us were sprinting towards the edge I clasped Hope's wrist and jumped, he casted aeroga and the force of the wind spell launched us further through the air straight toward the Port ship itself.

"Wait I thought we were going for the weapons!?" I heard him shout to me in surprise. I looked over my shoulder to see him square in the eye and said in a calm and encouraging tone,

"We are, but this is the only way to get rid of the ship fast enough to keep everyone safe."

"Only now I'm asking but why me? Why did you ask me to come? I'm not strong or brave to fight the enemy head on like Light or that other lady Fang. So why?"

For some reason time slowed down as I turned to face Hope again, the air felt like we were suspended in the sky like that. Why did I ask Hope to aid me instead of Fang or Light? Why did I ask him instead was a mystery to me now like I asked on impulse. But now all I did was look away, stare at the sky and said,

"I truly don't know... But I believed that we are similar in a way, we both need to become stronger for our own reasons but I thought that the two of us and if Vanille was here with us right now the three of us would work together in a great unison we'd be unstoppable. You and me brother, we are one badass team when we hit the field like how Light and Fang are in combat. Now time to strike head on!" When I turned my head to look forward we were so close to the glass I pulled leg back and kicked it hard that shards of the window crashed through before we went inside. We landed with a loud thud and several cries of shock and pain could be heard when we crashed into the control room. When I could see there were about a few dozen PSICOM soldiers either dazed or aiming their weapons at us. I looked around and stood beside Hope.

" You take the half on the left and I'll take the other half?" I asked Hope with a questionable look. He looks at me with, "are you insane", look on his face but he smiles and says,

" Alright. Whoever beats their lot first wins! Deal?" Hope asks with a playful smile. I raised an eyebrow in a childish manner and smiled.

"What does the winner get when we reach our goal, huh, little brother?" I asked as I drew my twin blades, my left sword drawn in a normal manner while my right blade was held by the hilt in a reversed manner, looking over at every soldier who shook and shivered or seemed totally still like stone. I counted in my head while nodding and I gave Hope one more glance and my arm sparked to life and gave mine and Hopes weapons the electric boost. PSICOMS leader made his move and pulled out a Com. Unit from his pocket and clipped it open.

"Fire! Shoot to kill!" He commanded.

"I don't think so!" I said as my arm glowed brightly and I brought both of my hands close together sparks and streams of electricity bounced within the space of my palms then like the storm itself I unleashed the wrath of the skies from my hands and it clashed and rung like thunder and every dozen or so weapons in the enemies hands or in and stored in the armory was soon melted into liquid fire that it fell like stone onto the floor and began to cool into coal instantly. Now with their automatic weapons destroyed they all switched to their manual weapons.

"Here we go!"

I ran to the commander and slashed the unit from his hand and hit him square in the face with the bottom of my hilt he fell with a pain grunt. The five squad members that surrounded their leader charged at me from behind but I jumped over their heads and when I got close enough to catch all five members in range I crouched down and slashed my blade in the air and the force cut through their uniforms and bodies, blood bleed from their midriffs and fell with a small gurgling sound that escaped their lips. I turned around to see Hope was doing better than I thought, he casted blizzara at four of the oncoming soldiers and they were frozen in an instant that when he threw a strong fira spell nothing was left than the cool clear puddle of water. When I was too busy watching, amazed, I felt a presence behind me and all I did was grab the front of my swords sheaths and jerked them backwards that I felt strong vibrations surge through the polished wood and metal holster I had to look to see two PSICOM soldiers groaning in pain and holding just below the belt shaking violently.

"Youch, that's gotta hurt!" I said to myself because that was actually funny, hit two grown men where it hurts and they go down crying like two little babies. Okay, when I turned my attention back to Hope a bulky looking Soldier was about to strike him in the head with his baton but I threw a waterga spell to soak the soldier and leave him in a daze and then shot a thundara spell to electrocute him until he fell smoky black. Hope looks at the soldier then to me and smiles.

"Thank you" he said as he nods and turns back to fight. I smile again and drew my buster blade and rushed into the enemies midst. When I learned the sentinel role I used the provoke trick and captured at least ten of the enemies attention just by saying,

"Oy you filthy blighters, try that on me huh?" And waved my hands in a wave like motion and I could of sworn the black part of where their eyes are shielded at turned scarlet red in fury and frustration it was a sight to see. With my buster blade drawn and I was surrounded on all sides all I did was swing my sword by the hilt in a similar fashion that Fang does to do her Blitz attack and I increased the speed by using aerora that when I unleashed the force the soldiers went flying into the walls, the rails, hell a few flew out of the hole me and Hope made to get in here. I smiled in satisfaction then raised my blade defensively when a PSICOM executioner had thrust his lance at my head the tip of the spear grazed my left cheek and scratched it small trickles of blood fell from the cut.

"DIE L'CIE TRASH!" He shouted in anger. He was afraid, his voice gave it away. But that doesn't mean he won't try to kill me if I stood there doing nothing.

"You wanna play? Fine lets play!" I shouted to him and pushed back. He staggered backwards a few steps then charged. He pulled his spear back and thrusted again but I countered by swinging my blade upward with my right hand, leaving a space open long enough for my left hand to reach in and pierced through his chest. No blood fell from where my hand struck nor did I feel blood or anything at all like I was a transparent spirit but I made contact with him. Loud choking gurgling was made from beneath the helmet as I sank my arm deeper into his chest that the minute I forced my arm through to reach my elbow the sounds stopped and the guy was cold and slumped forward. I pulled my hand out of his chest and looked down at the corpse feeling nothing at all, like his life didn't mean anything to me. Usually I would overreact when I saw it in movies and music videos and whatever, but this fantasy was my reality and before I knew it I was becoming a monster. This was survival, that was the ignorant bliss I told myself every time I took a life and little by little I was slowly becoming a monster dehumanizing anyone that wanted to kill me. I didn't ask myself like I used to, " what have I done? Or what have I become?", no... I felt cold and enveloped in darkness, not the same darkness as the one where I lay when Etro calls me to her threshold. It was a deep and cold biting darkness that made all the warmth and all the color fade away from the world and it was sucked right out of me that instant. My eyes saw nothing but black, pitch black and I heard nothing but the silent tolls of millions of bells that I felt crazy when there was only silence.

"What is happening to me?" I said quietly to myself as I placed both hands over my ears and crouched down into a ball like an armadillo and felt the pain in my heart heighten. A pain that no medicine or cure couldn't heal. The pain of regret.

"Big brother come on! The enemy is down, what do we do now?!" I heard Hopes voice ask me from such a far distance the words shook in my ears. I looked up at him and everything came rushing back to me now. Tears were forming in my eyes but I held them from falling and stood to my feet.

"What we do now is smash the controls then we go outside and smash the engines. We do that and this whole thing falls, when it falls we jump back to the platform." When I said that I drew my buster blade over my head and swung it down onto the control panels that sparks of electricity tried to hit me and burn me but they never reached me entirely. Hope pitched in and smashed the remaining controls with a thundara spell then a firaga spell the whole control blew up in smoke and fire. Not only that the engines shut down without us doing the rest of my plan, this happened because when I looked outside Fang and Lightning were casting ruin at the engines that they became one huge ruinga spell from multiple ruin spell and also Snow was beside them casting magic as well and I think that the golden white knight Odin must have healed him as thundara fell and smite the ship from the heavens.

"Now what? How do we get back without falling to our death big brother?" Hope asks me wide eyed as the ship begins to plummet down to earth. My arm was still live so I grabbed Hope once more and jumped, this time he was screaming at the top of because I didn't give warning first.

"Come on! Do your magic like in the Hanging Edge, come on damn it!" I pleaded with all I had but nothing happened. The two of us were falling in midair, dropping like stones in seconds.

"What's wrong with my arm damn it!? Please! If you won't do it for me then do it to save Hope's life instead!" I shouted to the skies hoping with all my heart that Etro will hear me now.

"BZZT! ZAP!" Now I felt a tug at my arm and the same string of electricity from the Hanging Edge shot from my palm and reached toward the platform like a grappling hook. I waited and waited until we jerked but nothing. I was the one who was getting ourselves killed. Please! At least take Hope, don't let him die with me for my crimes! Tears that I held in so long began to stream down my eyes I couldn't, or wouldn't want them to stop flowing.

"Hope..." I said while I continued to follow the stream of blue light flow from my hand with no end.

"What is it?" He asks in a strangely calm voice. Looking down at him in my arm I felt the tug and the light wrapped around his waist like a harness. Our eyes met and a smile was formed on my face, somehow when I saw his eyes widen in horror he tried to grab my arm but I shoved him upward and he was screaming in defiance when the blue light coiled around his waist tightly, pulling him to Lightning and Fang and Snow.

"Forgive me, Hope..." I said those words to the wind as I fell to the earth and he rose to the heavens.

"At least I could do some good before I die..." I turned to face the ground getting closer and closer each second that passed me by, I closed my eyes and allowed the wind to guide me down to meet my fate. All I heard was the sound of bones crunching and a loud snapping sound from beneath me.

"CRACK!?"

* * *

Omni POV:

It had been three days since the four L'cie left Palumpolum, Hope had seen his dad once more and boarded the ship of the Calvary in silence like everyone else did. Nobody spoke nor made a sound at all, the Calvary soldiers had found Mel's body and placed it respectfully in the infirmary where machines and wires were injected into the unmoving body on several whims of the young silver haired teen and the affirmation from both Fang and Cid Raines. The teen would sit outside the locked room for hours on end waiting patiently for someone to walk out that door in silence without thinking, like he forgot about everything he was either worried about or feared. But no matter how long he waited those three days nobody came out. Hope's sorrow had affected the gang, Snow would try his hardest to cheer everyone up but even he couldn't hide his sadness, Fang would stare out the windows of her barracks she shared with the others gazing at the clouds and wondered to herself if only she did something instead of just shouting at the two teens. She should have gone after them and hauled both of their arses away from even reaching the ledge and forced them to help her and Lightning fight the Sanctums airship instead she left her faith in the unknown gender kid and the boy to deal with the soldiers in the heart of the monster, the guilt and regret she felt hurt her so bad that she wanted to smash the door open with her lance to the infirmary to run up to Mels body and slap their face just shouting questions in anger at the corpse wanting, waiting, for it to tell her something just anything! But no, she remained strong and held her ground trying hard to shove her regret away for they were on their way to the Lindblum to rescue Sahz and Vanille from the army's grasp from reaching the state of Cocoon.

"Damn that kid! Should have listened, if only I didn't give the kid that glove and didn't give them any ideas they might have still been here helping us out... I should of kept my mouth shut and just listened now I will never know where or how to find Nille in that giant ship... This, this is all my fault... I should have done something, anything! Now that kid Hope and the others are in such a wreck, you must have done something that they cared about you Kid but without ya everyone just seems lost..." Fang says to herself after she slams her fist into the wall in anger and frustration it sickened her so. When she looked up from her window north east direction from the first window she could have sworn that she saw the pink tint of someone's hair color reflecting the morning sun coming from the room next door to the infirmary. Fang sigh heavily to herself, picks up her lance and walks over to her room door, she stops as the door opens automatically and looks at the ceiling.

"Wonder how pinky has been taking it it since then?" She wondered.

* * *

Flashback:

It was a sight that Hope was whipped back to the platform where Light and the others were at, Light and Fang saw there was a strange light entangled around the young boys waist and recognized it as Mel's healing power. When they saw Hope was screaming," Big Brother!", and tears of anguish fell profusely down his eyes and that Mel was no longer with him the two tried to push him to say what happened.

"Hope! Hope, look at me Hope! What happened? Hope what happened?! What happened to Mel?!" Lightning had run up to the boy and knelt beside him clutching his shoulders, trying her hardest to restrain the boy from crawling frantically over the edge. She pulled him into her arms and held him, the boy cried terribly hard and tried to thrash his way free but surrendered and cried on Lightnings shoulder and out of instinct held her for comfort. The SOLDIER didn't mind she was used to doing this when Serah and her were younger, Light would hold her younger sister trying to calm her down until she fell asleep when news had reached them that their parents were killed she held onto Serah and never wanted to let her go, like now she did the same with Hopw who was crying out for some sort of comfort when he saw the very person he thought he could be strong by but moreover comfortable around that he would always smile died right before his eyes like the way he saw his mom die, the only difference being that he was right up close when it all happened and he blamed himself for allowing Mel to do what they did. No matter what he regretted being so useless.

Since the storm clouds rolled in and when the battle had ended rain fell from the sky almost as if someone from the world beyond cried for the interloper but mostly cried for the L'cies pain that they felt from their loss. It seemed like everything happened yesterday when the gang first met the androgynous teen in Hanging Edge but it felt like they knew each other for years. When the sky flashed a sad blue color Fang saw that lightning crashed alongside thunder in harmony, when she looked at the pink haired soldier girl she saw that her eyes were empty and void of emotion at all. Her cerulean eyes were merely blank the same way as her expression, stoic and cold.

Hours passed when they waited for the scout team to return with the body a gliding stretcher pulled up to the ship, Hope ran toward the stretcher with Light following behind him but they both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the white tarp was covered in fresh scarlet blood the tarp was mostly red. The scouts and the stretcher was first to board while the others were held down by something they stood like cadavers. It took all of Fangs will power to get her and the others to board the ship, she was expecting someone to fight her but there was no resistance what so ever. So for the past few days the same scouts had locked the body in a preserving capsule used for the bodies of the fallen but were the ones who were asked to put the wires and machines onto the body and never spoke of how the condition of the body was to anybody, not even to themselves. When the ship pulled out of Hopes hometown the atmosphere was already filled with despair.

* * *

Present Time:

That is what happened, everyone of the L'cie wanted to pay their farewells to their fallen friend but were denied access even from Rygdea, the leader who led the scouts. He wouldn't listen to their pleas let alone from his friend Raines, though this was indeed strange to Fang that the man refused to let anyone who knew the kid to see and pay their respects but it wasn't like him to just say no without a reason. Something was defiantly going on and the Huntress was going to find out what it is, even if her suspicions were false, she headed over to the infirmary.

Lightning was occupying the room next to the locked infirmary to see if she could slip into the room to see the body when the workers left but every attempt failed when there were people in white medic coats passing by watching her suspiciously, she would lie by telling them she was only checking on Hope who sat right in the middle of the corridor staring at the inaccessible room door with a blank look on his face sipping his water every so often simply waiting. When the people were no longer present Lightning kneeled beside Hooe and whispered a favor from him.

"Hope if you can buy me some time I think I can get this door open before someone returns. You think you can do that for me?" When Hope looked at Lightning with restless and dark eyes he nodded at the request and stood to his feet, he ran down the corridor away from Lightning and brought out his boomerang and ran off in a random direction running around aimlessly but with a purpose to fulfill. In seconds alarms go off and the Calvary's platoons ran down the corridor and past Lightning until nobody else came. Before she could touch the lock she heard footsteps and forced herself to lean her back against the wall, she looked to her left and running down the corridor was Fang holding her lance with a troubled look on her face.

"What's going on?! I was just on my way to the central docking area until the whole bloody ship starts getting attacked!" Fangs asks Lightning who grabs her by her shoulders and pulls her away from the corridor into the room she stayed in. When the door was shut Light turned to the huntress and spoke.

"Don't worry it's only Hope, I asked him to buy me as much time as he can so I could get this door open. Fang, I can't bear to see the kid so hurt and broken like that, maybe saying goodbye will clear things up."

The huntress scoffed sarcastically to this and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay let's say you did get this door open, this thing could have some sort of an alarm that we don't know about and everyone comes bum rushing back here and could catch you in the act. Then what? You gonna go ahead and beat the living day lights outta everyone holding a cocked weapon and run for some sort of sanctuary from them? Is that the big bad Lights plan, break in and beat people up for getting caught?"

Lightning doesn't look at the pulse Huntress square in the eyes anymore when she made her assumptions but it wasn't really a plan, more like a just go with what I got sort of thing. But not only was she doing this for Hope she was also doing it for herself.

"Hey! Oy, Light!" Fang says waving a hand in front of the Sergeants eyes. After a few tries Light looks at her with that cold glare and mutters a "What" to her.

"If yer grumpy because of what I thought you were doing guess again. I'm gonna help you out. I've had my suspicions rising since, usually we get to examine the body but now this is weird that we don't. I'll go help the little squirt stir up trouble but be fast." Fang then reaches into her pack near her lances holster and throws a card made of white and grey titanium and tosses it to Light who catches it with ease. A questionable look formed in the pink haired woman's eyes when she looked at the card then to the one who gave it to her.

"What? I snatched it from one of the guards who uses it to open the door. Be grateful, now you won't need to smash the door down or try to guess the code now. Swipe it and it opens. No code at all, that's what I found out about that door that it doesn't need a code. Laters Pinky!" Fang walks past the woman and looks into her eyes once more and smirks then runs out the room and down the same road Hope took to start creating havoc.

"This better work Fang or I'll kill you were trying to pull something on me." Light says quietly to herself and stands in front of the infirmary with the card in her hand. She looks at the lock and swiped the card until the light turned green and the door clicked open. This was the only door with a door knob so she held the metal piece firmly practically feeling cold now and twists it open. When the door creaked open she examined the room, it was a fairly okay sized white room about the size of an average teens bedroom and there were several chairs and a polished table in one corner of the room and next to that was a small kitchen with cabinets and a small refrigerator and the silverware as well. When she pushed the door open fully she walked inside and looked to her right, there was the capsule with the curtains drawn around it it glistened brightly from the morning sunlight coming from the large 5' by 15' window that was across from her. The machines all made noise from their programmings so it fooled her in thinking the kid was still alive. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the concealed capsule, her footsteps felt heavy but they remained featherweight. She took a chair and pulled it by the bed, when she sat on it all she did was clench her hands into tight fists. Words wouldn't come to the former Soldier when she was there now and she shouldn't waste the allotted time that Fang and Hope was giving her right now but she felt unsure of what to say to a dead body.

"It's... Me, Lightning..." She began slowly trying to find the right words to say. She swallowed the choking feeling rising in her throat.

"I'm not sure if you can really hear me but, what you told Fang that night about Vanille and the only man Sahz came true. News spread throughout the state of their capture in Nautilus and are being transported to Cocoon for a public execution..." Light casted her eyes down at the alabaster floor and tried to hold back her emotions.

"Since the scouts found you everyone seems to have lost hope, Snow tries his hardest to not show it but he ain't as chummy from the get go as normal. Hope always sits outside your room door waiting for you to come out with those once cheery eyes now dark and empty, Fang sometimes sulks and dwells on what she should have done that night instead of letting you two get away and fighting in the heart of the enemy... I, have been trying to cope with all of this but it just happened too fast... When I let something in I became weak but you didn't see weakness, you saw something else that nobody but Serah could see. I finally thought that there was someone who would be there to aid me when I made mistakes and you did that without trying..." Lightning begins to reminisce about the time when she and Mel sat down talking and she told them that 'they made her felt safe and she opened up too easily to them'. She smiled a little but then the smile vanished, out of impulse she pulled the curtains aside and looked down at the capsule;

The capsules cover was open and she could see the body. Mel's body was practically wrapped like a mummy with all the gauze and bandages used to close the wounds just because the medics thought it was the right thing to do, their once light fair skin was now Snow White pale. Light winced when she saw so much wires and needles were sticking into both arms and both legs like it was some sort of voodoo thing but she ignored it, honestly she waited. She waited for Mel to open their eyes so they could talk again, so Light wouldn't feel so alone anymore because like she said before " I didn't want to lose more than what I already lost" but now she felt guilty for some reason and she didn't want to turn away but without that someone to help her she felt helpless.

"Why?..." She started. She slammed her fist into the capsules rails and stood to her feet.

"Why did you kill yourself huh?! Why did you commit suicide?! If you used that magic to save Hope so why didn't you save yourself too!? Why!?" Lightning shouted out of anger as she was so close to slapping the corpse but restrained herself, she breathed heavily and slowly her raised arm lowered and so did her voice.

"Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me?! You helped us through so much and now without you it's!..." She couldn't continue, all of her current emotions and the emotions she hid when Serah turned to crystal surfaced all at once. She held one of the kids pale hands in hers and stood there on her knees feeling so helpless. When she held the hand in hers it felt cold but warm. When she didn't notice the body moved silently and stealthily out of the capsule and sat beside the grieving woman without moving their hand from hers, the body kneeled beside the woman and pulled her into a welcoming embrace. This startles Light and she forced herself to push away and when she did her eyes widened in mixed emotions of fear and joy. The figure before her who everyone had been told was dead was alive, those neutral brown eyes shown with life it seemed like a sick joke but she recognized those eyes anywhere.

"You, you were actually alive?" She asked the body. The figure nodded.

"I'm sorry for causing you all much grief but I did what I had to do to control my powers from failing me like it did in Palumpolum. Here come sit with me near the window, its better than the floor right?"

* * *

Mels POV:

It took me awhile to explain to Lightning all that happened. I told her what happened when me and Hope was fighting the enemy on board that ship and what I felt after the fact I killed someone instead of wounding them. I told her that I felt like I was becoming a monster and I think that my powers failed me since I thought the way I did, I didn't want Hope to die with me so I wrapped the light from my arm around him and wanted him to live instead and I would pay for my crimes. Lightning sat there before me listening intently, she would touch the back of my hand to make sure I wasn't an apparition and sighed in relief when she felt I was real.

"When I crashed down to the earth I felt everything inside of me shattered and I thought I was dead but I lived through the fall, I felt excruciating pain I wanted to die but I couldn't move at all. My arm is what saved me, it healed my body internally but my external wounds still bled and if the shine wasn't bright the scouts would have walked past me. When they found me and put me in that cramped thing I heard a voice and I felt like I was dreaming, what I saw while I was out were my memories again only they are gone. I can't recall them anymore only the ones I have left. Anyways when the voice called out to me it told me to stay in this room until I could control my powers, my powers come from my emotions and from my heart that's why it fails me a lot when we need it it never seems to help until after the fact the group is down..." I told Light what I could remember happening, not much had changed then the fact Etro actually intervened somehow but I didn't ask her because it wasn't her voice that called out to me but Serahs and I made sure not to bring that up.

"You idiot, here we thought that you were dead and your not. I should punch you for that but I won't!" We turned to the door and saw Fang, Snow and Hope. Hope ran up to me and hugged me in relief that I returned the gesture.

"You are okay big brother! I thought we lost you to the Sanctum too!" He cried feeling his tears falling onto my torn jeans. I smiled down at him.

" I was, just been resting for a long time. I'm sorry Hope." I said to him soothingly. Snow came up to me and smiled and relief too, Fang stood beside me and going against her word slaps the living hell outta me. It hurt that much and the cut in my cheek opened.

"Ow! Hey you said you wouldn't hit me Fang!" I cried to her. She laughs out loud and smirks.

"Yeah but that was for putting us through hell! Acting like your dead your just fine!" She shouted. I just smiled and sighed.

"But I got something to ask you." Fang says and look at her neutrally.

"Why did Rydgea act the way he and his troops did? What did you do to them?"

I looked at the huntress and smiled.

" I took over their minds when they found me, told them to make me appear dead so I could recover. It was what I thought at the time, when I felt like a monster I didn't want to be seen as one so I faked my death for a few days. Now, is it smooth sailing towards Vanille and Sahz?" I asked the group who pulls up a chair to join me and Light.

"Nothing but smooth sailing towards the Sanctums Primarch."

* * *

A/N: yay! This chapter was done! So what did my did you guys think of this chapter? Thought I went and killed our main protagonist? Yeah right! The hero never dies! But then again Mel never belonged in this world. So yeah... Anyways as always please review, comment, criticize or leave any question you have and I'll try to get back to you in the next chapter. So until next time, Ciao!


	14. Freedom Fighters, go!

A/N: Hey there everybody again! It's questionnaire time! Before I begin I had checked my emails and there were two people who left questions in the review box. The questions are asked from Kwtwix and Atsirk Enoh. Okay, uh, Kwtwix asks if Mel's outward appearance reflects what she is prophesied to become later and points out that I don't allow her to correct Hope when he calls her big brother. Well to answer the first part of the question it's an open idea because I never thought of using Mel's appearance as a key point to the promise or the "prophecy" she was supposed to play in this world when I was trying to create my OC character. But pointing that out I might be able to use that which sounds like a great idea for a plot twister of some sort. Oh and the second part of why I don't let Mel correct Hope because he said it during battle and if she told him wouldn't you guys think he'd be dumbfounded when he discovers his 'big brother' is really his 'big sister'? Wouldn't that be very distracting in a fight that he wouldn't be focused on the fight itself and be overpowered just trying to understand what was told to him just now? Now onto Atsirk Enoh's question: I will be revealing Mel's gender sooner or later in this chapter before the gang heads toward the Palamecia to save Sahz and Vanille, I missed those two so lets bring them back shall we? Anyways hope that answers your questions, now lets put the cards away and start the next chapter okay? Enjoy!

* * *

Mel's POV:

Ever since Lightning broke into my room and broke down, and allowed the rest of the L'cie to come in with her after creating a big headache for the Calvary, the five of us were sitting down talking normally like everything that happened never really happened. It seemed like a horrible distant nightmare they finally gotten over.

"Hey kid could I ask why did you fake your death? The whole place felt empty and heavy when we saw you get wheeled up in a body bag and we were all freaking out here." Snow asks after he finished drinking from his iron cup of water he made from my refrigerator. I looked at my left to face him and replied.

"If I told you guys I doubt any of you would believe me, but that won't stop you from wanting to know right?" I asked back to everyone. One by one or at least Fang, Snow and Hope nodded, Lightning was busy looking into her cup but she sort of grunted in agreement that she wanted to know too.

"Well, where do I start? Okay before I was falling to my death I took a Sanctum soldiers life, I stared down at the corpse without regret or remorse. I felt like I was turning into a bloodlust beast that took pleasure in killing so when me and Hope jumped from the falling airship and I couldn't get my powers to work to save both of our lives and I thought that my crimes would be justified if I at least saved Hope from dying with me."

"Is that why you let me go? To save me so you wouldn't feel that regretful? I thought you wanted to kill yourself because of the Sanctum, I thought that only because I read the look in your eyes wrong..." Hope says sheepishly as he scooted his chair closer to Lightning and Snow.

"Actually, yeah! I didn't want you to die with me because of my crimes against man, sorry for bringing religion into the picture, but it wasn't right to take someone with me who didn't deserve to die so soon. Besides when I hit the ground and felt everything inside of me shattered I heard a voice, a woman's voice and she said to me like in a dream that, ' its not your time to go'. When I heard those words I ended up in a place called Valhalla, remember Light like I told you in Palumpolum? I was there during my healing time and tried to find the answers to the questions I have like;

'why did I survive the storm that gave me these scars? Or how come I was brought from my world to be here? What is my purpose that I have to fulfill before I lose all of my memories and become a hollow ignorant vessel who listens to lies like its the truth?'

" I had so much more questions and now I feel like I'm slowly losing myself to this world that I will never return to where I once came from. But I do know this much, when this journey is over I will become the shield and protect the champion of Etro from the danger that threatens all once this mess has ended. Please do not ask me why but it is what I heard from the voice." I explained to the others who looked like they were interested in my tale but when I looked at Fang, who sat beside Snow on his left from my point of view, her head was down and her right fist was clenched tightly then I hear her growl like some sort of irritated animal. She stood to her feet from her chair, slams both of her hands hard against the table it shook and she raised her head so we all could see her eyes were full of annoyance and her face was red with anger.

"Whoa take it easy Fang! What's got you so wild?" Snow asks to the Huntress who turns her attention to the NORA leader that whatever he saw made him shrink compared to Fang.

"Take it easy? You want me to take it easy?! And what's got me so wild huh, Blondie?! Well I'll tell you what's got me so wild! It's this kid right here!" Fang shouts at Snow while pointing a finger at me. I stare at her finger and I felt something that made me want to slap her hand outta my face but I held it in.

"What have I ever done to you? I saved your life once remember? Besides its the Sanctum you should be upset about not me!" I said to her trying to keep things calm but being a fail I was escalated the situation.

"Oh, I'll tell you what you did... Its your GENDER!" She started at first and breathes heavily. Wait, what?!

"Wait, your mad at me because of my gender? Please elaborate for me Fang, enlighten us all because I think that everyone here is confused." I said to her in a confused manner.

"Now that she brought it up I'd like to know too. I mean Hope calls you 'big brother' but how can we be sure if everyone avoids saying he or she to describe your actions instead of they, them or their, huh?" Snow chimes in after I asked the huntress to explain clearly but I guess Snow did it for her. I glanced Hope and Light and in their eyes they seemed to be wanting to know and listened intently for the answer. I closed my eyes for a bit then opened them after I exhaled deeply.

"Alright, alright. If you guys wanna know about my gender then I'll tell you. I am actually a g-"

"The Palamecia is in sight, all concerned personnel please report to the airships docks immediately! I repeat the Palamecia is in sight, all concerned personnel please report to the airships docking area immediately!" The speakers and alarms went off like mad, cutting my answer short in seconds. Fang looks really annoyed and storms her way to the loading area but before she left she growled,

"Later!"

And left. Snow followed after her then reluctantly Hope. Light remained fixed in her seat just staring into her cup blankly like her mind was elsewhere right now.

"You alright Light? You troubled about something?" I asked the silent soldier who jumps and looks startled when I spoke to her. She almost spilled her cup but she held her posture and her composure.

"Yeah I'm fine, I was just thinking about some things." She began and remained in her spot. I looked at her from across the rounded polished wooden tabled and chuckled.

"You sure? I don't think troubled is the best word to describe whatever it is that's keeping you in such bad shape. If you want to talk about it we could do that along the way to the loading docks, it could give us enough time to get things off your chest if you don't mind." I say to her with a smile on my face. Light looks up from her cup and stares at me wide eyed.

"Your coming with us?! But your in a full body cast! I mean won't you feel pain or bleed out from the travel?" She asks me concerned. I shook my head.

"Nope, three days was enough to heal my wounds and get me back in better condition than in whatever shape I was in that day. Especially when you can heal your wounds with special magic I mean right? I'm going with you, Vanille is my friend too you know and I'm going to help you guys save those two. No isn't really an option for me right now so yeah I'm going." I told Light before I went into the bathroom and changed out of the hospital robes to my normal clothes, the only change that I made was my shoulders because I had two silver pauldrons on my shoulders for just in case. When I finished changing I equipped my twin blades at my sides then my buster blade on my back and rejoined Lightning, when we left the room it would take a few minutes to reach the docking area.

Lightning and I walked in silence through the path taken to get down below deck of the Lindblum, it was a slow sort of constant walking we did. When I looked at her at equal level, since I am a half inch taller than her, she looked stoic and cold as usual to those who don't really know her but look close enough and you see that her eyes say she is in pain. That sort of pain that won't ever want to let you go, emotionally at least.

"It's been sometime hasn't it?" I began to say to keep the silence at bay. Light shrugs her shoulders and continues to walk with her head high and eyes fixed on looking ahead of her. I scratched my neck nervously and tried to think of something else to say, but my mind came up blank I didn't really know what to say or tell her.

"So... You, uh, ready to take on the voice of Cocoon?" I asked trying whatever I thought would work to get her to say something, when I mentioned the Primarch Light stops in her tracks and turns back to face me.

"The Primarch Dysely is on board that airship with Sahz and Vanille? This really got interesting now." She says but turns away from looking at me. Again I felt this sort of bad feeling in my gut, one: we should have been at the loading docks right now and two: Lightning is acting a lot different than the Lightning I thought was really cool in the game, this Lights much more sensitive than she showed before. Is it possible that when I came into the picture I affected her and the others the most that they have accepted me even though I haven't been completely straight out with them? Is it possible that I am the one to blame for changing the whole story they were playing in? I wasn't sure but when I looked at the ground with remorse then raised my eyes to look at Light, I took a few steps until I was close enough to Light to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looks at me and turns all the way to face me without moving my hand, when she was squared up with me she looked to scared and childish and maybe she even looked innocent and hurt that it both amazed me and made me concerned for her because she looked like in a really vulnerable state right now. And then it hit me, there was this tribute song to Lightning on YouTube back home called "Save the Hero" and the one who sings it was Beyonce. The video was to portray that Lightning was the hero fighting and surviving and protecting everyone she cared about but there was nobody there to help her the way she helped everyone else. It made me realize and remember that Light had to be strong to protect herself and Serah and the others in a very dangerous game and the song made it show that she held all of the burden, and what I said surprised even me when I spoke calmly to her,

"Lightning, you are the hero that everyone leans on for help but there is nobody for you to lean on. If you will let me I will be the one you can depend on, the one who you can lean on for support. You don't have to do this alone you know, I'll be there to help you like you are there for Serah and the others. Okay? All you need to do is trust me."

After I finished speaking Lightnings eyes widened and she smiled, she genuinely smiled, and it felt great to see her smile. When I was about to walk Light stops me and I end up in her arms, she was hugging me.

'Holy crap!' Was the very first thought that popped into my head when she did this but Light wasn't doing this out of gratitude, her hands were clenched tightly on my arms she held and her head was pushing itself into my shoulder that it tried to cover up her shaking. She was scared and she was definantly alone, I was practically the only one other than Serah who had gotten so deep into her being that she becomes so afraid and vulnerable it was hard for her to keep a cool head anymore. I felt something wet fall on my shoulder a few times and it felt like water, when I realized that she was crying I wrapped my arms around her for comfort and slowly, softly, rocked her gently until she calmed down like a frightened child. A few minutes passed and my Com. Unit goes off, I answered it and it was Fang on the other side of the line.

"Where the hell are you and Light?! We are bout to ship ourselves straight to the Sanctums door step!" She asks in annoyance just from assuming the irritation in her voice.

"We are on are way but give us a minute, if you have to go on without us. We will catch the next ship after you guys alright?" I responded trying to make sure things were great on our side.

"You better hurry because if ou two aren't here in the next five minutes we are going without you okay!?" Fang urges greatly and hangs up. I clipped the unit closed too. When Lightning let go I saw her eyes were a bit puffy and tear stains ran down her fair cheeks to show she was really crying, she wiped her eyes clear and cleared her throat.

"We should get going, we need to get to the others now. I'm sorry for wasting time. And now that has been settled we don't need any room for doubt, no room for any second guessing. We go right in and we will save Vanille and Sahz, be cautious though we need to keep a cool head in a place like that okay?" She says going back to the regular Lightning but her voice was a tad raspy. When she walked ahead of me I said to myself out of ears reach of her,

" I told you before, I'll be the shield that protects you Warrior of Etro..." And followed right after.

* * *

Omni POV:

The Palamecia was following their daily commands as always, Cocoon will be within view by tomorrow but with orders from above they were going to go full speed to get to Eden by this afternoon. The Primarch Dysely waited patiently for he Commanding Colonial's plan to set in, by broadcasting the capture of the other L'cies allies they would surely come for them but when was a mystery.

"Your Eminence! Scanners have picked up a small vessel moving towards our air space, should we take it out of the skies?" A Pilot from the control systems asked the Primarch who barely glances at his subordinate and dismissed him.

"No, this maybe the L'cie. Colonial Nabaat! " he says calmly. Jihl comes from one of the scanners and presents herself to her superior.

"Sir?" She asks respectfully as she bows before the Primarch. He looks down upon the woman and smirks.

"When that ship lands and leaves us a present activate code: yellow." Dysely tells his right hand. Again Jihl bows and obeys her commands.

"You all heard his Eminence, activate code: yellow once the alarms go off! Lets do this, everybody move now!" Nabaat shouts to the people at the scanners who follows the orders given to them. When everyone's backs were turned Dysely moves from his chair like throne and enters the small room he was in a week ago. When he entered the small dark hovel the monitors were still glitching, all but one screen was properly functioning. At first there were black and white waves of static pixels then the picture became sharper and clearer until a face, a familiar face, appeared on the middle screen of all the rest. The screen showed that the L'cie were on board but the one face that the picture was focused on made Dysely confused but his heart was screaming at him for forgetting this child's face from the beginning. The person he saw slashing their way from below up the ranks was Mel Winters.

"Lightning shaped scars and both male and female appearance... The L'cie who never was meant to be has crawled back to their master willingly in an attempt to rescue their friends..." Dysely said to himself softly when he finally remembered who this child was. He started off with light chuckling then he roared with a menacing and triumphant laughter, there was evil in his laugh it was sickening to the stomach or worse to the soul.

"This shall be very interesting indeed..." He said and left the room with all the blank screens pixelating in the dark room.

* * *

Mel's POV:

Battling through the Palamecia was much harder than I would have thought, wave after wave of Sanctums Soldiers took a great toll on me. I thought the power to heal my wounds would heal me entirely since I was asleep through the whole process while my soul and mind were in Valhalla with Etro trying to learn how to keep my powers under control and put to use. Back to the fight I swung my twin blades sideways to slice through a fire counterpart of an Orion, forgot what the thing was called, and sent it flying back to the enemy with Aeroga. When the machine hit against something, say an advanced Executioner and his lackeys, the messed up war tech blew up and killed or wounded the rest of the incoming reinforcements. I heaved and breathed heavily it was much harder to keep up now, my head pounded and my whole body was in pain that standing upright seemed like a hassle. Blood spilled from my left brow but I used cure and wiped the blood away.

"Man, thought there was no end to that!" I said heavily trying to get my labored breathing stabled. Hope ran up to me and handed me a vial, I looked at the small rounded bottle with dark blue liquid I got concerned by whatever this thing was.

"Its a potion, drink it and you should be able to feel better. It will help you recover from most of your fatal wounds you suffered from before. I'll stay here with you so you won't get left behind okay?" Hope tells me with a concerned look in his eyes but confidence in his tone. I nodded and popped the vial open and drank the potion like water, it was tasteless at first then I tasted a strawberry banana smoothie, and it was really good when energy flowed through my system.

"Yeah, potions are weird that way. They taste like whatever it is we like to drink, eat or smell. Lets go Big brother, Light and the others are going on without us." The silver haired boy says to me and stands. I want to tell him and the others but I don't want to distract them, maybe when this is done and over with will I tell them my gender.

"You go on ahead, I'll deal with all the Soldiers from the rear." I told Hope who looks back and wanted to stop. I waved at him to go and he reluctantly listened. I slowly followed after him.

It seemed like forever when we found a moving lift to get us on the platform above. As always Lightning and Fang went up first and signaled the rest of us that it was clear. Snow and Hope went on the lift and were pulled up onto this mechanical puller by Fangs lance while the two women pulled the large man then the small boy up. I still had the gloves Fang tossed at me and I put it on, when I got onto the moving platform I climbed my way up instead. When I got up there there was this howling sound that echoed through this vast chamber and it came from up ahead. An opening revealed itself on the side of the wall and all of us walked through, Light jumped first then the huntress then the NORA leader and the young boy. I was about to jump until the ship shook and I fell onto the walkway on my back, like falling into the pool from your back only much worse it left me dazed.

"You okay?" Snow asked me and I nodded.

"Over there, that bridge is our only way through." Fang points out when a steel bridge was hanging overhead but it was guarded by the Militaries robotic guards. The platforms were separated by a few other bridges and Air Force strike team, they too busy flying overhead in the clouds no one noticed us.

"Got anything in that bag of yours that can get us there faster Kid?" Snow asks me when I was staring at the bridge above us. I looked at him then into my backpack I swore I lost it at the Vile Peaks and grabbed a few Sanctum made bombs that I once again stole from the fallen troopers.

"Not sure what these things do but let's try it out now!" I said to the group, I tied the three bombs I pulled out with strong thick white string Vanille used for crafting during our break times and clicked one bomb on. The sound waves emanating from the one activated the other two bombs, when I looked around the robots shut down and so did a few flyers gears. I shucked it out into the sky and it remained hanging in mid air that whatever was near it deactivated automatically.

"Lets move!" Lightning ordered and we followed her through the platforms and made our way up to the bridge to get back inside the Palamecia without much trouble. Once inside the opening we went through was like this gigantic room with a sort of octagonal shaped platforms surrounding this huge pillar of light in the center of the room. It was incredible but the beasts lurking here is going to be troublesome.

'Now to avoid this I think I should use my powers now. But what did Etro tell me to do again to keep my abilities in control?' I thought to myself when I saw there was hardly much chance for any of us getting out of this endless fight even if we all worked together in a unison. I closed my eyes and hummed a tune, a familiar fan made tune, I heard before that was supposed to be a fan made version of Fangs theme. I think the others heard me when I hummed then I heard the same crackling sound again coming to life and my eyes opened to see the source was coming to me at will.

"You can control it now?" I heard some one ask me. I nod once more and responded.

"Yeah, while asleep I found a way to control it. Won't go into full detail yet but the only thing I can tell you is that my powers are under control when my eyes change to the color of lightning. Did my eyes change to a sort of electric blue or something?"

I looked at Hope and he nodded.

"Look I'm doing this so no one gets tired too early, maybe after we get through here much more enemies await us. Let me try and end this stage first." I pleaded but I just was ahead without hearing a response. Both of my hands came close together and a bright blue light shined from between my palms, when I felt the energy was too strong to contain I unleashed it into the air and storm clouds appeared above the enemies and destroyed every last one of them within this space in a loud thundering crash and blue light enveloped everything. When everything cleared so were the beasts.

"Time to move?" I asked, soon after a minute or two we moved toward the exit.

* * *

Dysely's POV:

'The ship shook violently that very moment, it felt like it came from below. I couldn't dismiss the thought the L'cie were this strong so soon but still weak and foolish.' My little room was shrouded in darkness but the only light granted to me were from my surveillance monitors I installed to keep track of my puppets movements but the six are no longer worth anything to me, the face of the one Jihl described to me of the nuisance that wiped out most of my loyal subjects was here and I have the greatest plot of getting that one troublesome L'cie to surrender. I walked by three figures, whom I had kidnapped from the same world as the Interloper I had taken not so long ago, all whom were chained into the wall in the dimly lite room of mine. There were two young females covered in cuts and bruises and a bit of blood covered a portion of their clothing and a small stain of their fair faces. The other was a persistent male that broke so easily under Jihl's influence he remained still and broken and oh so bloody beaten. Each of them had to have been special to this Interloper respectfully especially this young woman right here. Her shining brown eyes were cold and hard and her face was beaten too, though she didn't break as easy but she will crack soon, must be great willpower that had developed in the military I see. And this other girl, she was quiet and soft that any sound made her whimper helplessly, her flaming red hair nearly appeared as fire in the dim light but if not for her fair skin and hair she would have blended into the darkness. Finally this young man, shining blond hair and a strong physique and cheerful blue grey eyes, that lay still and quiet like a trained dog laying by his masters feet. When they come you three will be coming alongside me.

I walked toward the door and didn't look back for the time is drawing nearer to meet this child who I brought to aid me in my quest to destroy Cocoon and the millions of others in the many dimensions to summon the Maker to this world again!

* * *

Mels POV:

"Tease us, will ya?" Fang cried after another huge flying yellow monster came after us when just killed one on the Palamecia's weather deck or whatever. The thing flew real close to us and flew into the clouds.

"What the hell was that?" I wondered aloud to myself as I watched it go off.

"KA-BOOM!"

There was a huge explosion right beside us, we all looked and saw a hole blasted in the wall of the aircraft, dark smoke was carried into the air but the smell of the smoke was strong was so intense I had to cover my mouth and nose to keep my so called 'rare' asthma from acting up and so I won't cough up a hailstorm. Lightning raised her gunblade, Snow raised his fists high, Hope held his boomerang above his head and Fang took the lead and drew her lance in front of her all waiting for an enemy to strike. Instead we saw familiar green pilots clothing and tribal clothing come out coughing almost violently from the hole in the wall and out into the open.

"Vanille!" Fang cried happily.

"Fang!" Vanille responded in turn. The two Oerban members run up to each other and stared at each other with relief and joy. Sahz came up behind them and said,

"There you are. Miss me?" When his back was to the monster Snow and Hope and Lightning looked ready to attack, this confused the pilot but Snow cried out to him,

"Not you! The monster!"

Sazh looked around and the same large yellow flying monster came from the skies and swooped down on us, everyone evaded in time but me. I was so preoccupied trying to not inhale smoke I didn't react fast enough. The beast swooped down and caught me between its jaws and flew with me in its slobbering mouth of sharp canines. It's grip in the jaws tightened and I felt everything in my legs hurt so bad that blood began to flow out of them and the monsters jaws were covered in my blood.

"You got to be joking! You bastard let me go!" I cried as I tried to fight my way out but the wind and air were cutting through my flesh I bleed little by little as this thing kept picking up speed. I felt something warm coming from this things mouth and I doubt it was its breath. I looked through the opening and white light was forming, if I didn't get out soon I'm dead! Or worse if I survive my legs will be obliterated nothing not even ashes will be left of them.

"Oh crap!" I pulled out one of my stainless steel swords and dug deep into this things eyes, it shrieked loudly and let go of me and I lost my sword. I forgot how high I was and looked ready to fall to the ground then the ship. I wanted to scream but nothing came.

"Shiva! Go, time to save the day!" I looked and Snow summoned his Eidolon Shiva, Stiria and Nix. The two ice Eidolons flew to me and caught me gracefully, they felt cold but I didn't care so long as I survived. The two twin sisters brought me over to Vanille and Hope who took a look at my legs, Hope turned away but had to look while Vanille examined my legs and casted Cura that her hands grew bright green light and the fairly large sphere was moving over my legs to heal and stop the bleeding and wounds.

"It's not as serious as it seems. The fangs didn't penetrate deep enough to break your bones but it will be awhile till you can walk properly. When I'm done I will bandage your lower limbs and see if you can walk fine okay?" Vanille explains to me while she healed my legs. I looked at Hope who looked disgusted at the sight of blood oozing out profusely but I saw him swallow his disgust and aided Vanille in healing. While those two were preoccupied I looked at the battle:

Snow was the first to attack the beast with Shiva, the duo casted and flew ice magic at the monster trying to freeze it in place but couldn't as the ice broke into millions of dazzling shards. Sahz was busy buffing everyone with what looked like haste, faith, bravery and vigilance and shot at the wing creature with his dual pistols. Fang and Light were attacking the thing head on as a tag team, Fang would catch its attention while Light came up from behind and slashed at it then they would exchange roles. They were winning until this thing conjured lightning from its own mouth and shot the force at the group. Everything was concealed by a blinding light then the scene was different, the monster was gone but the others were okay.

"What happened to that thing?" It was strange, a second it was here the next it vanished. It didn't matter when Vanille and Hope finished wrapping my legs in gauze and bandages the others ran up to the three of us in a hurry. Vanille stood and she and Fang embraced each other in a welcoming hug. A minute after Fang squats down next to Vanille and lifts her skirt up a little to look at her brand that was hidden on her upper left thigh. I saw Hope and Snow and Sahz look away and Light cocked her head to the side, she glanced my way and I smiled at her but she remained stoic and did a good job keeping her emotions hidden inside.

"You still got time." Fang says relieved. As she begins to stand up straight Vanille speaks,

"Fang. There's- there's something I need to tell you." The red head began. Fang pulls her into her arm again and says to her,

"Making me worried like that... We'll talk later missy."

It was a nice moment that these two were reunited, hopefully we can do the same with Dahj and Serah with Sahz and Light.

"So, what's on the agenda?" The pilot asks curious.

"Toppling the Sanctum." Replied Snow as he put one fist into his palm.

"No, I mean really." Sahz said in a serious tone.

"He's serious. We're gonna take down the Sanctum down and give back Cocoon to the people. The Fal'cie called the shots for long enough." Light responded to strengthen Snows answer.

"If we pull it off, it'll be a miracle." Hope chimes in almost confidently.

"Well, good thing Lady Lucks on our side." Fang says in turn. When I found the strength to stand I had to ignore the pain that shot through my legs and walked over to the group.

"Besides not only do we have Lady Luck we also have the Goddess Etro and fate alongside us too! This will be accomplished and even when things seem bleak we just look ahead and make that miracle happen not just wait around for it to come, right?" I added to the groups cause of words. The others looked at one another and nodded. I walked a bit ahead of the group and stopped, my arm turned bright white and heard Etro speak to me in my thoughts.

'Take them by the hand and go to the Primarch.' I nodded to myself and called out to the six L'cie.

"Got us a ride, come here." I waved everyone over and they came by me. I placed my hand out and asked the others to do the same, when they did the light from my arm travelled onto theirs and light engulfed everything. When the light dimmed down we were right outside the door to Barthandales's control room.

"Everyone ready?" Light asks us all sternly. Everyone answers her and we walk inside ready and unannounced.

* * *

When we entered the room was quiet, the people at the controls were still and there was a figure lying on the ground and Sahz and I both knew who it was.

'Jihl Nabaat. She's dead already?! It can't be!" I thought to myself.

"Welcome L'cie." The deep and dark voice echoed through the chamber and sitting in his chair like the dead bodies of his subordinates were nothing to him. Snow clenched his fists and cried,

"Monster! People aren't yours to use!" As he assumes correctly that he killed his own people. Dysely comes down to the ground from mid air and says,

"What else does one do with tools?" Snow roared in anger and ran up to the Primarch ready to land a fist to the face but a barrier protects the disguised Fal'cie and the force of the barrier sends Snow flying backwards.

"And speaking of tools, you child with the scars of natures greatest force should belong here beside your master. You are worth much more than these six L'cie. Give up and aid me, the factory known as Cocoon created mortal thralls that were merely tools. And you are there with these same thralls we Fal'cie created." Dysely says as he looks at me. I clenched my teeth in anger and I growled at him, my anger rising and so does my affirmations for my suspicions.

"Master?! You are not my master! I am nobodies slave, I live how I choose to. What makes you think you are my master?! You were the one who gave these scars to me anyways aren't you Barthandales!?" I shouted at him

The Primarch laughed menacingly and I knew I was right.

"A tool shouldn't go against his master! If you continue to go against me then what will happen to these three beside me.?" Three figures appear beside Dysely, all were tied by their wrists and ankles. They looked dingy and bloodied and hurt, I saw two females and one male, but the one with long brown hair with razor cut bangs sweeper over her right ear looked familiar. She lifted her head and I saw her face clearly.

"This woman here is your older sister is she not? And these two are they not your friends?" Dysely pressed on, harder then I thought. I was shocked to see my sister here as well, Dysely really was the one who was able to cross through other worlds and brought my sister and two others who looked very familiar to me. But with most of my memories gone of my friends the only memories I have left are with my sister and our parents before they abandoned us on the streets and left us there to die. My sister looks directly at me and smiles.

Mel, your okay! I thought I'd never find you." My sister says in a raspy voice but her green eyes looked unfocused but she still saw me.

"Quiet you." Dysely says and he does something to my sister, she screams in pain as she is surrounded by blue lights, he's electrocuting her and the other two.

"Stop... Stop it your hurting them you bastard!" I took one step and he stopped me.

"Then come along with me and I'll release your sister and your friends. You have my word." The Primarch says cunningly that I almost believed him.

"Don't do it Mel he's lying!" My sister says despite being tortured. I looked at her with a sad looked and said only her name before she cut me off.

"But, Claire I..."

"Don't, 'but Claire', me, Mel. I'm supposed to look after you no matter what! And I won't let this clown take my little sister away from me like the bastard he is!"

I stood behind the others and they all looked at me with shock.

"Little sister?! Your a girl?!" Fang says in surprise. I looked at her then the others and yelled at them.

"Whats more important here, finding out I'm a girl or helping me save my older sister and those other guys?!" Everyone saw I had a point and stood ready to fight. Dysely tssked and waved a single finger side to side.

"Too bad, you are more stubborn and selfish than I thought. Now lets watch these three die together shall we?" I looked with horror to see the electrocution level became stronger all three of them were screaming in pain and I saw blood fly from Claire's pale lips. I couldn't take it.

"STOP IT YOUR HURTING THEM!" I screamed at him and attacked with my buster blade. Without the barrier the Primarch used his staff to block my attack, metal clashed against metal and the sounds echoed through the room. I pushed with all my strength to get him to submit but instead he held his ground firmly and smirked.

"Surrender yourself to me and I shall let them go free. It is you who decides whether they live or die."

I looked at my sister and saw she was fading, pride stood in my way and I had to fight but without Claire I'm nothing without my sister. Instead I hung my shoulders in defeat and lowered my weapon.

"That's a good L'cie." Dysely says and stops the torture. I ran up to Claire and the other two and cut their bounds tied on them. When I freed my sister her arms were wrapped around me and I welcomed her in a hug.

"You stupid moron I thought you were dead! You were gone for two weeks!" Claire scolded me with tears falling onto my back.

"I'm sorry sis, I wanted to come home but I couldn't find my way back to you..." I told her, I turned to Vanille and Hope and Lightning and asked if they could heal these guys. They agreed but what they didn't agree on was me siding with the enemy.

" I have to, I won't let anyone get hurt. I'm sorry, please take care of my sister for me." Tears fell from my eyes as I let my sister go, she tried to hold me down but she felt too weak. Lightning stood in front of me standing between me and Dysely.

"What are you doing Lightning? You crazy?! Step aside!" I told but her cerulean eyes bore into mine, she walked up to me and struck me hard in the face with a back hand.

"Hey!" My sister cried but I think I deserved to get struck like that.

"your the idiot here! You think we're going to stand here and let you go without a fight?! This guy is the one we want so stand back and let us deal with him! I won't let you go that easy, got it kid?" She's serious, after all I did for her when she became weak she's too stubborn to let me decide for myself and for the sake of everyone I cared for.

"You dare challenge a Fal'cie? Then you all shall die like the vermin you are!" Dysely roared and Mnerva came to him and he transformed into his first stage of his true self.

"I am a Fal'cie, known as Barthandales. You all will die here long before this world and the many others are destroyed!" After he said that the group stood ready and the battle begins!

* * *

A/N: hey everybody once more! Wow this chapter took a long time to do. Sorry if you guys think I'm taking the action out of this fanfic, I have the battle scenes in my head but its hard to describe in a way. Anyways now this is over Kwtwix and Atsirk Enoh hopefully your questions were answered. Okay as always please leave a review, comment, criticism, question or ask me if there is something you want me to add just because and I'll see how I can fit it into the story, okay? Alrighty then, Ciao!


	15. Barthandalus! And secrets!

A/N: Hello everybody once again this is AeonLegacy coming to you live at the Palamecia, the battle between the L'cie and the Fal'cie, Barthandales, is about to begin! Here in the stands beside me is Lady Etro, the goddes of Death and time, who will be my cohost for this historical event. Have anything on your mind' Etro?

Etro: Well yes Aeon I have much to say, Barthandales apparently has the ability to cross through time and space to many of the know and unknown dimensions now that has a scary thought to it doesn't it? Especially with his devilish goal to murder millions of people to summon the creator from our world. And it seems that my shield is being forced to choose and lose her pride for the sake of everyone she has involved.

AeonLegacy: I completely agree.

Etro: but what I found interesting Legacy is that you and Mel look identical in every way, habits and all! Care to comment on this before we start?

AeonLegacy:... Oh, look! The fight is about to begin! Don't touch that mouse or remote cuz the battle is about to get underway! Cameras are now getting into the action, and Start!

* * *

Omni POV:

The group of the L'cie stood defiantly before the massive Fal'cie, Barthandelas, with his dark and malicious eyes peer down at them. He has brought all of his tools together in his midst but now he felt angered, his tools are defiant and are about to go against him against his will! His smirk lowers to a frown that they won't follow their master but he has no choice but to force them into submission.

"You are nothing but tools chosen to be used, why defy your fate L'cie when you all have absolutely no chance of winning?" Barthandelas asked as he spoke with his voice hinted with the robotic tone of his Fal'cie form.

Lightning being the party's leader, her steps light and soundless, stands before the Fal'cie examining his dark and golden details of his armor like skin with two adornments of the sides of his large pharaoh like head. It was horrendous up close but that is all this so called voice of Cocoon was; evil, vile and horrendously despicable! She draws her gunblade from her holster and holds it in her battle position.

"We decide our fate, we don't need no Fal'cie to give us orders on how we choose to live!" She shouts defiantly at the mechanical beast who turns his frown into a dangerously furious scowl.

"Defying your master brings nothing but death!" Barthandelas roars in anger and his adornments struck first. The left and right pauldrons on his head attack, the right casted fira while the left casted watera. The party all evades but when the spells hit in the center of the room nothing but a dense white mist was born.

'A smokescreen! This thing wants to play dirty, then we'll do the same then.' Lightning thinks to herself and devised a plan in her head as she crouched down and placed a hand firmly against the floor feeling for any movement. While she did this Fang and Snow charged straight ahead of them shouting war cries as they ran toward where they saw a large shadow moving through the mist.

"Which way, Blondie?" Fang growled at Snow in annoyance as the two stood back to back to each other one watching one side, the other doing the same, waiting for the Fal'cie to strike.

"No idea, this guy ain't really a morning guy. Likes to hide in the shadows obviously. Just watch your side!" Snow replies as his sky blue eyes scan his side of the room but doesn't see anything moving.

"Creek!"

Something heavy moved across the floor and the two strength users reacted too late, Barthandales's left ailette had shined brightly through the fog as it casted blizzaga. The spell began to form around the two L'cie and when it took shape encased the two in ice. Their heads were free as her their feet and a portion of their hands but they were incapacitated.

"Crap!" Snow cried when the spell froze him and Fang together, the large shards of ice stretched practically to the roof. The large shadow emerges from the fog and appeared before the two.

"Over here." The mechanical ruler says tauntingly as he brings one massive claw into the air and swipes his talons at Fang and Snow, his attack was swift and clean that upon impact he sent the two into the air with slash marks on the left arms and grazed their sides and slammed into the nearby control system.

"Gah!" They let out pain filled cries when they landed but both stood back to their feet a second after.

"Stubborn aren't we? But where will I be when you return?" The Fal'cie hides back into the shadows and leaves the two on the defensive but his attention turns to the pink haired soldier now. She squats on the ground all alone with no one close enough to protect her feeling for vibrations in the ground to pinpoint his location, a skillful tactic but a futile one when they are up against a powerful deity like being. Out of amusement he appears several feet away from the soldier and taps a claw onto the ground, the vibrations made their way into Lightnings arm and knew where to find him. She stood to her feet and charged with her blade drawn above her head and swings.

"Useless..." Barthandelas was about to slowly move out of the way but Lightnings speed was much quicker than what he had anticipated. When she had her blade above her head she leapt into the air and sliced the connections between the Falcies head and his left Pauldron and Ailette clean of by rolling into the air and using her speed to increase her strength when her sword connected. The severed Pauldron and Ailette fell with a heavy thud that it blew a fraction of the fog away allowing the team to see a bit more clearly now, when the pauldron and ailette fell they turned to black fog and evaporated into the air turning back to nothing.

"Graah!" Barthandelus let out a shrill cry when he was struck but that did hurt him but not weaken his power.

'With the fog nearly gone we should be able to see him better.' Lightning thinks to herself as she eyes the Fal'cie with hateful eyes that burn through her being. That hate made her feel the pull of fear tugging at her heart and making its way up her throat, she forced herself to swallow the fear and stood on the defensive ready to counterattack. When the Fal'cie saw she wasn't going to attack him again he backed up into where his throne was and laid there, his shoulders were cupped by his head and he clenched his claws shut tightly. Hope and Sahz were finished buffing the group with protect, shell, haste, bravery, faith and vigilance. Vanille casted Cura and cure toward the NORA leader and the pulsian huntress to close their wounds so they immediately came together as a group. Mel stood guard over the three newcomers and tried to heal their wounds with cure but the sounds of piercing mechanical whirs sound into her ears. She looks through the thin mist and sees the attack the Fal'cie is about to use.

"Thanatosian smile! Everybody get away from the center of the room before he strikes!" But her warning came too late. Barthandelas releases his hold and his face cracks open in two that there were these pistol like holes from beneath his face. They shot out thousands of bullet like projectiles they made contact with the L'cie and the walls everyone grunted and groaned in pain as the projectiles either shot through their flesh or grazed paste them. Mel saw the buffed spells protected the party well but the shields were degrading slowly. Within seconds the shields were down and the L'cie were getting much more wounded, blood flew from their bodies as the bullets flew straight through their flesh they all fell with a thud but got up shakily. They bleed out profusely trying to stand on their feet, even when Vanille and Hope try to heal everyone they weren't strong enough to do so and they all knew they weren't ready for a fight like this.

"Mere L'cie are weak, stand before your master and end this fruitless journey to stop the Sanctum!" The Fal'cie spoke as he raised his head high and his voice boomed through the air.

"And what about you, Interloper? You gain the trust of these L'cie and have not once spoke about yourself, the truth of why you were chosen to be my greatest tool of destruction."

Mel looked at Claire, through her pain filled eyes that she tried to hold in her pain, and saw her sisters eyes widen in horror, the same horror she saw before when she found found her sister that one night back home. But the events of what happened was a blur.

"Claire, what is he talking about?" Mel asked her sister through her raspy voice, but she still could hear her younger sister.

"I was told that you were forgetting, losing your memories, Mel. But if you can't remember then that's good..." Claire's voice was quiet. What was going on?

"Claire, what does he mean?! Please, tell me!" The younger one cried at her in desperation, there was a reason why she was chosen. Not only because she survived this mark from the storm, it was something that bastard and Claire knew but she doesn't want her to know.

"Mel, I'm doing this to protect you. Don't think poorly of me when I do this." Claire stands to her feet and Mel kneeled at her feet but lost her balance and was on her knees, when their eyes locked tears were about to flow from Claire's but Mel doesn't know what she's feeling right now. The name of her older sister popped into her head at that moment.

"Forgive me..." Claire picks Mel up gently and again she embraces her in her arms and she returns the gesture, but a mere second a sharp and excruciating pain shoots into the girls torso and when her hold on her sister releases there was a combat military branded knife in her stomach and it was in her stomach really deep that the blood that poured out of her was like a little waterfall.

"C-Claire, why did you-?" The pain reopened the wounds from her legs and she falls to the ground hard. The others call out Mel's name but everything was becoming cold and things were making it hard for her lungs that she couldn't breathe. The girl turns her head to see the back of her older sister and when she turned she didn't even glance at her, Claire took her sisters buster blade and held it by the hilt firmly but the blade laid on the ground by the thin point of it because the weight was putting too much strain on her arms.

"You didn't know! You don't know what happened then! If you think you can spout those lies and weave them into the truth to hurt my younger sister you got another thing coming you sick bastard!" The young nineteen year old Lieutenant of the Air Force screamed at the Fal'cie with intensity but even if she struck back she wouldn't be able to do much with the damage inflicted upon her.

Barthandelas boomed with laughter it made everyones spine turn cold and their resolve to defeat him grew immensely.

"Mortal you have less chance of living if you defied me, though you come from another world you are no different than the humans here. You all follow aimlessly by the political influences who use their power to do what they see fit. You, the military, are no different than the military here! You march through your ranks taking orders like the slaves you are, blood of the guilty and blood of the innocent have stained your hands like these fools! No matter what justification you have carved in your mind it can't wipe the blood off your hands without paying in blood back!" The Fal'cie waves his hand at the newcomer and casts ruinga at her, thinking she should use the sword as a shield Lightning comes out of her teams ranks by sprinting through the pain her body felt and pulls Claire out of the way. The two fly into the air by a few feet from the spells explosion but Lightning and Claire landed safely thanks to the former Sergeants quick reflexes.

"Stay here and don't do anything reckless, we can handle this thing." Lightning says to the girl and rejoins the fight. While away the others couldn't stand by and be idle so they attacked with everything they got. Fang used her Lance to break an opened while Snow did the same as he tried to keep Barhthandalus from using his hands, and opening was made when Fang held one claw down with all of her strength and Snow used Shiva once more to immobilize his side with strong ice magic that kept growing again and again from the twin Eidolons. Hope and Vanille used fira together and the two fire based spells increased and became a larger fire spell that it hit the Fal'cie in the face he shrieked in pain upon impact, before he could recover Sahz saw a few cracks on the armor like skin and aimed directly for the crack under Dyselys left eye the bullets went right through and left the Fal'cie dazed. Lightning walked to the Fal'cie and picked up speed, her gunblade was in gun mode and shot a barrage of bullets simultaneously like Sahz and his pistols and reached for the abandoned buster blade. When she was close enough she turned her blade into sword mode and threw the buster blade at Dyselys jaw, upon impact it was lodged in the sides of his mouth dark liquid spewed from the blade as he bleed from his eyes and face. Being the closest Fang and Snow kicked the blade deeper into the mouth and were sprayed with the liquid, the former Primarch roared in pain from the blades unusually sharp blade and looked above him as a large shadow was upon him. Lightning called upon Odin and the knight was in Gesalt mode, the resembled Pegasus used thunder fall and razor gale that rose petals erupted from the attacks. More pain was inflicted upon the Fal'cie but he was immobilized and he was weak from the wound in his jaws any more force to push the blade in he would lose his lower jaw plus from that pain he couldn't use his Thanatosian laughter nor move his arms. He growled deeply at this pathetic scene before him that he was living at the moment.

"Take this!" When his attention was glued on the SOLDIER she spun in the air with the wing like blades and the force of the blades shot pain into his skull it was humiliating! He underestimated his opponents, maybe they weren't so useless after all. When the attack ended the Fal'cie was too weak so he reverted back to his mortal form after letting the team he was defeated by falling to his demise and vanishing to nothing.

"A Fal'cie running the Sanctum..." Snow says aloud, disgusted.

"I guess Eden wasn't controlling things after all." Hope says after the large man but felt uneasy.

Soon Barthandalus reverted back to his human state and when he returned he applauded the group of L'cie.

"Well done, L'cie. You have proven me wrong, you may be worth something after all." he said in a shrew tone, then his eyes wandered to the wounded Interloper, clenching her teeth and clutching her wound where the hilt of the blade was still at. It was amusing to watch them squirm but for now he must retreat.

"But as I said. I am lord sovereign." he says as his feet touches the ground. Everyone stood ready to fight again and Sahz chimes in with,

"I guess the Fal'cie don't go down easy like the rest of us!"

"Ease is not the issue. You have not fought to win. You should know the sure way of dispatching our kind." Everyone held their breathes and waited for the resolve Dysely is waiting to tell them.

"Become Ragnarok."

Everyone but Fang knew what that was and it was made absolute that she didn't know.

"What's Ragnarok?" When she asked her brand began to burn and tear and her flesh she fell on one knee and she clutched her arm where her brand was. She was grunting in pain when she felt her brand hurting and she struggled to stand strong on both legs but she tried and did all she could to not fall.

"Pitiful L'cie, you've forgotten your focus. Ragnarok is the beast that one of you will become in order to lay waste to Cocoon. You have had the dream. One among you will become that monstrosity, defeat Orphan, and destroy Cocoon."

"Orphan?"

"The font of Eden's power. Orphan fuels Eden with strength and sustains you and the rest of our kind. Destroy Orphan and you will unleash a force such as this world has never seen. Cocoon will be torn asunder!"

Fang rises to her feet and her eyes look nearly dark and shrouded in something, a feeling she goes against for the sake of Vanille.

"So if I did that... Destroyed Orphan..."

"You will have fulfilled your focus."

Lightning intervenes and tries to slash Dysely but misses as he teleports himself away.

"So what!? Who says it has to be!?" She cried with aggression and anger in her tone. Since she was away Mel had a thought that was indeed crazy and suicidal but she had to do it for her sister and for her friends. She pushed herself to her feet and limped toward the group. She clutched the wound in her gut and tried to not let anymore blood fall from the wound nor her mouth but she wasn't near anyone yet because of her slow pace.

"Serah asked us to save Cocoon before she turned to crystal. Save it! And that's what we're going to do!" Snow cries as he held the crystallized tear in his large hands.

"Serah was trying to tell us how to complete our focus and we have-" Snow was cut short while Dysely laughed at their resolve.

"Save Cocoon? How can you save Cocoon when the clock to everyone's demise stands beside you fools?" He raises a finger and everyone turns to look at Mel who stood silently behind the L'cie.

"Have you made your choice, Interloper?" He asks curiously.

Mel stood there with her eyes casted down, and she held her left hand in a tight fist. Her arm sparked to life the color of white blue and when her head was raised her eyes glowed the color of lightning itself. She thrusted her arm and lightning was projected from her palm, the attack was too quick for Dysely to evade so he blew up with a cloud of black smoke he was engulfed in it.

"W-whatever you had... In mind for me, you can shove it down your throat and choke on it!... That's for hurting my sister you bastard, I am no ones slave! How many times do I have to say it?! I won't hurt anyone, I won't... You can't make me..." She shouted once her attack connected. When the cloud was swiped away the smirk of victory was wiped away and replaced with a murderous scowl both on his face and in his eyes. Dysely couldn't get angry yet, it wasn't time.

"Run L'cie! See how stark reality is, when you do death shall be upon you." In that instant he vanished and the ship was falling out of the sky.

"Hurry, let's move!" Light cried and everyone followed. Light carried Mel while Fang carried Claire and Snow carried the other two who never woke up. The group ran to a nearby airship deck and got into one of the Sanctums ships to escape the destruction of the Palamecia. When they were in the skies the controls to the ship was jammed they had no control over the ship, the L'cie were attacked by a strange looking ship that struck them with dozens of missiles.

"It Rosch!" Snow cried realizing who that could have been.

"Hold on this is about to get crazy!" Sahz told the group and they all prepared for impact. The ship evaded automatically from the missiles but one stray projectile hit an engine but the ship still functioned. The ship flew into the clouds trying to shake their pursuer but he was hot on their tails with more reinforced projectiles. Vanille and Hope looked out the windows of the ship and everyone saw where they were headed, they were flying straight to Cocoon. The ship evaded the building and other airships in their way while avoiding taking much damage for Rosch, they were focused on him they weren't ready to hit straight into the wall.

"AAAGH!" Nearly everyone shouted in surprise and fear but instead of exploding the ship went straight into the wall and into the fifth arc.

* * *

When the ship parked itself one by one the group emerges out of the craft and onto the train track ground. Everyone looked at their surroundings but made camp in a transit like area in order to deal with whatever wounds they were inflicted with and to take care of the seriously injured. Claire helped her sister on the tile floor to lie on her back and helped the others with the other two. Vanille took the responsibility to heal the injured red head in dark clothing with the support of Fang, Hope and Snow and Sahz went over to look over the strong but young blond haired guys injuries, while Lightning and Claire went to help the foolish brunette. Light examined the wounds careful, especially the one on Mel's stomach, the knife Claire deliberately plunged into her sisters stomach was indeed deep but not hard to cure. With a firm hand Light gripped the hilt of the knife and pulled it straight up, Mel groaned and coughed in pain when the knife was taken out of her, and drops of blood fell from the sharp blade.

"This is the only wound we need to treat by stitching it up, the rest we can heal with magic. Vanille! Do you have any alcohol or thread and needles? I'm going to need some!" Light told Claire who went over to the red head and brought the needed supplies to the SOLDIER girl.

"Thank you." She says to the brown haired soldier who nods in return, silent.

"Okay, we need to operate on this now. Mind helping me here?" light asks Claire who looks so scared and regretful for doing what she did to her sister, the sight of blood twisted in her stomach she wanted to vomit. Though she had an obvious fear of losing her sister she aided Light to save her life.

Time went by as the three main medics, with their supporters, began working hard to sterilize and close up the wounds everyone had. Hours passed and the team was fully exhausted they stayed at their little camp to rest.

"We have to get going. Who knows when the Sanctum will come through the door we came through." Fang says trying to get everyone to move. But everyone didn't have much strength to walk unlike the huntress, the two soldiers, and the NORA leader. Besides if they moved now it would be harder to fight with the wound unable to fight back or unable to protect themselves.

"We will, Fang. Let everyone else rest, today's been tough on everybody." Snow says to the huntress who looks at him and sighs in defeat knowing she can't pursued anyone to come nor leave Vanille behind, she had to stay. Snow and the others look at the three newcomers who Dysely said came from Mel's world, it was obvious because of Mel's older sister but the other two were out cold the whole time so they were nothing but a mystery. Lightning looks at Claire who sat beside her sister in silence, she didn't move from her side since they finished treating her wounds.

"Strange, huh Light?" Snow says softly to get the soldiers and everyone else's attention.

"What's strange, Snow?" She asked perplexed by his words.

" It's strange, Mel has an older sister who is in the military and they were separated. But somehow something brought the two together but tragic events came along with it. Just like at Hanging edge, you and Serah were united again but then she was taken away. It's nearly similar but its not huh?" Snow says trying to explain what he thought was strange only to be comparing Mel and her sisters situation to Light and Serahs.

Light thought about this and smirked, it was either too damn ironic or too damn coincidental that someone else shared their experiences, maybe indirectly Lightning had a sort of connection that she and Mel shared. They just didn't know it then but now she knows.

"Maybe she needs to talk about her pain, I mean she just hurt the one she cares about and now she might lose her. Maybe we can find out about her younger sister if we asked." Fang asks the group as they all looked at the mainland soldier in her tattered uniform.

"Here, I'll go and ask her then!" Vanille said and volunteered herself to bring Claire to their circle. When the redhead got close she heard the girl her age muttering to herself.

" I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to have happened... Mel, forgive me..."

Vanille didn't know what to do when she heard her so she placed her hands on Claire's shoulders, Claire was startled at first but calmed herself down.

"Come here and relax, you need to keep your strength up. For your sister." Like a blank doll Claire moved mechanically without thinking but by moving with Vanilles guide. She was placed between Fang and Hope, the group looked at the young adult with concern. Light had enough of this act so she had to lecture her.

"Stop wallowing in the past because of what you did! Whatever happened happened. Don't think of it as a punishment, think of it as a way to protect your sister! You did what you had to do to make sure she wouldn't get involved but risking your own life now that was very chancy. Look,uh, Claire she'll be alright if you just believe in her, got it?" Light had lectured the girl sternly but it seemed that nothing fazed her. She raised her eyes to the group and then turned to look at her sleeping sister then back to the group.

" My sister may not look it but she's too stubborn to give up living now... But I'm not regretful because I stabbed her, I'm more worried about her when she remembers the truth that mechanical thing was about to say. If she heard that something bad will happen again..." Claire explained absentmindedly to the group.

"What did happen?" Hope asked wanting to know why as well as the others. Claire sighed and looked into the fire the group made for warmth.

"That night... That horrible night, I will never forget it. I'm glad Mel did but how she will react when she remembers? You all wanna know? Then I'll tell you what that bastard meant. It happened four years ago, something that can never be forgiven happened to my sister that one rainy evening..."

* * *

Flashback:

It was a few years back and my sister didn't come home from school. I just finished preparing dinner when I got a call from a strange voice, I was old enough and knew how to trace back calls with our uncles receiver, the caller sounded tired and in pain shouting at me,

"she's killed them! She killed them Claire!" Then the line went dead with a blood curdling scream. The call was traced to the Winters manor several miles away from our house so I drove my car there because that was our parents home. I always had access but I wouldn't abandon Mel to live in vanity with our horrible parents, the gates were open wide and the front doors were destroyed. When I went inside the whole place was ruined; fresh corpses were shredded apart and and blood stained anything, the walls were degrading by fire and nothing was shown mercy. My hand gun was loaded and I ventured inside, I followed the sounds of scratching up the second floor and the sound grew louder in my parents room. I listened and heard a voice, a makes voice talking to something.

"Yes! I have done the impossible! Now nothing will stop me now!" I kicked the door down and saw my dad standing by his desk, he looked like a madman with all the blood covering him.

"Claire... So good of you to join me in my victory." my dad said to me wickedly.

"What happened here, Will?! Why is everyone dead?!" I confronted him with my gun raised. He smiled evilly at me with those psychotic eyes of his.

"I gave that mistake of a child you call sister a purpose! All this destruction was her doing!" He said to me.

"What have you done to my sister, you twisted son of a bitch?!" He didn't answer me but twirled his finger to turn around. I wish I didn't, when I did I saw Mel covered in blood from her palms to her shoes to her clothes to her mouth and face. Her eyes were viciously the deep color of crimson and she was different, very different, and she dragged a dead body behind her. It was our mom she killed, the flesh at her neck was gone and her eyes were gouged it was horrendous and sickening. I couldn't do a thing but I dropped to my knees.

"Mel... What have you done?..." I asked her but she growled at me and bared her fangs at me that dripped with blood and saliva.

"She is perfect Claire! Now we can rule this pathetic world with science, no one will get in our way.!" When he said that he was beyond saving, so I shot him, our dad used science on Mel to turn her into a monster and he with so many others were killed. It took me years to have calmed her down, what I did always seemed to hurt her but the notes and equipment our dad had I was able to focus her powers into one spot; her heart.

* * *

Present time:

"She was still human but she could turn any second if she wasn't under control! That's why that bastard described her as a tool of destruction, he knew... I... I almost lost her and when she disappeared I was so lost I didn't know what to do... Now I do know, maybe this place can help her maybe even save her. Promise if anything happens you will do anything to keep her from changing, right?" After Claire told her tale she was asking a deal of the L'cie, to kill her sister their friend over a scientific mutation? Could they even do that to her?

"Unless she becomes a threat we will do what we can, right now get some sleep. You'll need it." Light tells the younger soldier who nods and laid beside her sister in case something were to happen and she's gone again.

The group sat in silence after hearing the girls story, they tried to swallow it but it was sort of hard to take in.

"No matter what she's our friend, now that we know something we can protect her and Cocoon. We just have to watch how we play our hands now." The second the group were finished talking but were distracted Mel got up and silently moved toward the tracks and followed them, leaving behind her area of comfort and saftey behind her with tears of anguish and reject spilling from her eyes.

* * *

A/N: Etro: so that's what's up huh, Legacy?

AeonLegacy: that's right! You heard from the stand box folks, things just got heated up and now we know a bit more about our protagonist. But I gotta say Etro, what do you plan to do with Mel knowing what her biggest secret is now?

Etro: my plans didn't change, I believed something was wrong coming from her when she first came to my realm. Maybe redemption will save her by acting as my champions protector, right?

AeonLegacy: no I was just curious of what you was going to do now since you were ignored for a bit right?

Etro: its your fault anyways, Legacy.

AeonLegacy: well anyway it seems time up! So, this was an interesting chapter of our heroes story huh? Like before please leave a review, comment, criticism, question or something you guys want me to add into the story please by all means! Hope this was an interesting chapter to read. Time to say goodbye! Ciao everyone til next time! Gonna say something Etro?

Etro: please keep supporting us and be sure to watch what you do, who knows what Barthandalus will find out about you and use your secrets against you and your friends? Okay, until next time! Bye now!


	16. Maybe we lost something?

A/N: Hey guys, hows it going? Good? Good! Anyway I'd like to thank you all again for reading "May I be lost or reborn" and leaving your questions, comments, reviews, whatever, I didn't think I would be continuing this fanfic without all of your support! It's been fun making this, hopefully the chapters aren't too short for you all, and I hope I can continue Mel's adventure with the Final Fantasy 13 crew and possible in' other worlds' too... *Suspicious Spoiler, perhaps? You decide* Okay anyways joining me here in the viewing box is Oerba Dia Vanille!

*Audience claps enthusiastically!*

"Thanks, Legacy, I'm glad to be here. Sorry but Goddess Etro couldn't make it today, she had important business to take care of. So, a recap of the last chapter: Everyone had come to rescue me and Sahz from the Sanctum airship, the Palamecia, and we have been in recent battle with Cocoon's Primarch who was actually a Fal'cie in disguise and we narrowly escaped from Rosch, what do you have in store for us this time?"

"Well, I can tell you that there will be emotional confrontations and physically conflicts between Mel, Fang and her resolve, and the unrest coming from Mel's sister, Claire Winter. Nobody knew Mel was awake at the time so she is feeling hurt right now and is in constant struggle trying to remember what memories she had lost and trying to hold onto the memories she has left. But you know, who knows whose going to be there for her, she's kind of the teams support and aid you know? Not really a medic type, like you and Hope, but the one who can pick up on emotions and helps through that way emotionally."

"That's true, Legacy. Well, instead of listening to what we got to say, on with the story! I better head back now. Ciao!"

*Vanille leaves the room*

"As she said, lets begin. Enjoy!"

* * *

Mel's POV:

I silently made my way down the tunnel, that leads to the 'Fifth Arc' that lies deeper into this abandoned catacomb, without allowing the others to follow me. I walked on the balls of my feet wincing with every step because the pain in my legs returned but I did my best to not let myself be caught. It was like I was in a trance, that story that Claire told the others was it true? The feeling of blood lust and malice felt familiar each time I fought and left someone wounded watching them bleed out from wherever I landed a blow at but I always thought that I was slowly becoming a monster, yet in reality I was already a monster. I just didn't realize it. I followed the train tracks deeper into this passage, further away from the group, until I could hear running water. The rushing flow of water growing louder and louder it became a soft rush to a roar of adrenaline, when the end of the tunnel became closer and the sound of water growing into a bellowing surge it was just a waterfall coming from below the second passage on my right. I felt the energy of the falls course through me and the vibrations went right into my feet and up my lower limbs. I sat on the metal grates below my feet and listened to the water rushing and crashing below in the dark abyss. I reflected on Claire's words, "Our Father kidnapped me and forced me to become a tool in his experiments, a government official in the Science department made me his tool of destruction! Whatever he did to me I still am that '_thing!' _

_'I took so much lives under his control and I'm doing it again but I am in control of myself. This demon won't let me go!' _

I felt my eyes water and the bitter tears ran down my eyes, my heart was heavier than lead with guilt and my throat had the gross taste of regret trying to cut my air supply off. I sat there crying without making a sound, crying won't bring the dead to life, it won't change what happened before, but what could I do? My eyes looked downward and watched where the waterfall fell, the darkness below me seemed like a far drop down into the dark abyss, and I wondered if Hope's mom felt pain when she plummeted to her demise. Not only that I slowly unzipped my black turtleneck from the zipper below my chin and pulled it down just beneath my chest. My wounds there healed but left scars but when I looked down and on the center of my chest was a strange mark, not my brand but a weird mark the resembled an outline of a heart and at the bottom the tip of the heart curved outward, then there was a crown like mark at the top of the heart and on the sides were demonic wings spread outward and were sharply designed. I sighed, zipped my turtleneck up and pulled my long sleeve white coat closer to my body to block out the cold. It was weird that I didn't notice the brand on my chest before, maybe I did know i had it but then again my memories are being stripped from me anyways. I looked at the ceiling that looked almost dark as night then down at the shadowy abyss that looks endless than the pitch black sky.

"I must be stupid for thinking this but I don't know if I can be saved. I was damned the second blood was spilled and stained my hands scarlet, after all the destruction I caused here and back home I think I deserve to rot in hell for my crimes..."

I stood up to my feet and listened for anything. A part of me tells me to jump but the other is telling me not to, torn in a constant war with myself telling me right from wrong but in the end the consequences remain the same. I try to remember a good memory but there is nothing left in my past, only pain and despair remains, so I closed my eyes and willingly fell forward. Before I was free falling I heard something from the passageway behind me but it was drowned out from the roar of the waterfall.

* * *

Lightning's POV:

The group had left me, Fang and Vanille as first watch while the rest of our group took a spot around the warm fire Sahz made with his fire magic and went to sleep. The story took a long while to sink in but I can understand why Barthandalus was more focused on Mel than us. Claire asked us to do something none of us would want to do but if she does endanger anyone we won't have a choice but to put her out of her misery. Fang sat near the fire poking at the embers with the tip of her lance, Vanille went to the injured and took at look at their current condition. I was just sitting in between the steps of this station look alike, with I held my Blazefire Saber in my hands I felt something was off. Something but I'm not sure what made me feel uneasy.

"Fang! Lightning! I need you two please." Vanille cried near the airship. Of course Fang was the closest and went to her quicker than me then I stood up and sprinted over, this must be an urgent matter.

"What happened, Nille?" Fang asked eagerly to the young red head, I looked away from the two for a second to see if the others woke up but they were all sound asleep.

"Mel, she's gone!" Vanille said in a low whisper trying to not wake anyone.

"Gone? What do you mean she's gone? When we left she was out cold. Did she just up and vanish or something?" Fang asked in an urgent tone. Vanille shook her head in response.

"I don't know, I was just about to check on her and her sister after checking on the other two and when I got closer to their spot she was missing, she's nowhere around the camp."

Fang looked annoyed by this and nearly slammed her fist into the wall.

"This is the second time she goes off on her own, damn it. This kid must 'ave major ADHD or something. We need to go find her." Fang says to me and Vanille. It is true, this is the second time she goes off alone but if shes gone what is she planning to do?

"Light, you and Nille should go, I'll stay here just in case something goes down." Fang suggests. I looked at her questionably and asked,

"Why don't you come with us? We might need the extra help." I asked to her but Fang shook her head.

"She seems more likely to open up to you and 'Nille. Its best if you two go and bring her arse back here. We need to straighten things out with her. If things go bad then I'll be the one personally pulling her arse back, don't do much to interfere she ain't that strong compared to me anyways." Fang explains to us calmly, Vanille looks at me and nodded. The second we left we followed the tracks leading down further into the stations passageway. We followed the tracks and then there was a low sound of water coming from further within, the second we heard the water me and Vanille picked up our slow constant pace to a more jogging speed. The sounds became louder it was practically all that could be heard, from the dim lighted tunnel there was light at the end also a shadow was casted from the end of the tunnel. I watched the shadow while Vanille pulled out her Healers Wand ready to entangle whatever it was that was there.

"Now we take it on with a preemptive strike, ready, Vanille?" I asked the red head, her forest green eyes looked at me and she was ready to fight.

"Lets go."

We then ran towards the end of the tunnel ready to fight and when the tunnel curved towards the left the light became brighter and we saw what casted the shadow.

"Mel..."

She was facing her back to us, her head up high looking at something then she hangs her head downward. Time felt slower than before, the closer we got we both saw what she did; she leaned forward and was free falling off the edge.

"NOOOO!" Vanille ran ahead of me at first but I was the fastest out of the group, I sprinted and ran past the red head in mere seconds going to the edge and then diving. The wind from the fall was whistling past me and so were drops of water splashing bitter cold droplets of water from the waterfall, I ignored this and saw Mel was a few inches away from my reach. The more we were falling the dark abyss grew larger I could almost see the demons lurking there with their deformed and rotting limbs reaching skyward trying to pull free from their burning misery of torment, and they were pulling in Mel to join their pact.

"Aeroga!" The wind blasted from my palm shot upward projected me downwards with more speed, since I was able to pick up the speed to my fall the stupid kid was in my reach. I turned upside down as her and grabbed her by her jackets collar and pulled her in close.

"What the hell are you doing!? Are you insane?! Let me go, Light!" She shouted at me when I came to save her, but by brushing away her cries I stared into her eyes with a disappointing glare and shouted back.

"I'm saving you, Kid! I don't care how many times you tell me to let go I won't!"

Mel's eyes were red with anger they were different. Her eyes; instead of neutral brown her eye color was deep crimson, darker red than blood, and they looked animalistic, cat like irises replaced her pupils. When she tightened her jaws together I saw sharp teeth protruding an inch past her lower lip and her skin was almost snowy white.

"If you won't let go you'll die with me, Lightning!" She said to me in rage.

"Either way, wether I let go or not I'll die with you no matter the case at hand. Why are you so eager to die!? Tell me that much!" I screamed at the once brown haired kid, whose hair color was now opaque black and her former bangs that swept to left were the color of pale moonlight that was both pale and bright.

"Look at me Light! I'm a monster! I killed back home and I killed here! I want to end it, I know I'll be leaving Claire behind but I am doing this to protect her, too! All I ever thought about was blood, I never thought of finding my memories anymore since we left the Lindblum, Lightning! If I don't try to die I'll just continue to kill! Do you want to see everyone's blood spilt, huh!?" She cried practically absolute about her choice.

"What if you can't die!? Like in Palumpolum you survived that fall! Whose to say you won't survive this one?!"

I shouted at her trying to change her mind. Mel opens her mouth to say something but instead of words she screams in pain, excruciating wail of pain escaped her lips that whatever she felt travelled through my body with ghost pain. My hands were on her back and something was growing there, something kept pushing and pushing trying to get out of her. It was a painfully slow minute waiting, when I felt her back was ready to explode I wrapped my arms around her waist to see what grew out of her back.

i just couldn't believe my eyes, either I was tired or growing mad, the left side dropped white feathers while the right dropped black feathers. She grew wings! One was pure white it glowed brilliantly while the other was dark and malicious it gave off a demonic aura.

"What the-?!" Were the only words I could manage to say. I never believed much in fairy tales or happy endings I only believed in what I see with my eyes but wings growing out of someone's back with my very eyes I couldn't believe it!

The darkness began to become darker and it was very hard to see, every second became impossible to see without light, but the only thing I could see were her eyes. Those despair and hate filled crimson eyes, they reminded me of Hope's only this was like her inner demon was taking form by possessing Mel's body and changing it to its original form of a true monster.

"You really are foolishly foolhardy, Lightning Farron..." I heard Mel say in a low tone but her voice sounded different, from what my eyes couldn't see my ears picked up. Her eyes were large but now her pupils narrowed like a hunting lioness lurking in the shadows ready pounce that glowed brightly in the opaque void we fell in. I felt her hand at my throat and her grip closed around my neck tightly I gasped sharply trying to breath when my supply of oxygen was abruptly cut off.

"And for being so foolhardy and selfless... You will be rewarded, in death..."

I tried to break or loosen her very tight grip but her hold became tighter as I tried to break free.

"Lightning!" I heard from above. At first I thought I heard Serahs voice but to my horror I realized that the voice from above was from Vanille.

"Lets meet your friends, Mel..."

The sound of wings whipping through the wind echoed faintly in my ears as the darkness became light as we came higher and higher, closer and closer to the platform where Vanille and everyone else, even the two unconscience kids from before were there. The second we were above our group by a few feet I started to feel limp and weak; what's going on with me? Why am I feeling so weak?

"Mel! Don't hurt her!" Claire cried from below looking frantic, I could see that even as my vision begins to waver.

"Mel is not here at the moment, Claire! I am the demon that grew in her heart!" Mel says in a possessed tone that spoke to the young military prodigy with such evil it was worse than the way Barhthandalus spoke to us.

"Give her back! Give her back you damn bastard!" Claire shouted but my mind is slowly fading to darkness, I can't hold out much longer.

"Hey! Instead of fighting over one person, Mel give Lightning back to us or I will come up there and kick you in the arse until you submit!" I heard Fangs voice this time, really trying to parley with whoever this person is.

'What's going on!? This person can't be Mel, who is she or he? It's like all of my strength to fight back is draining, fading away until nothing remains... I can't fight back like this, maybe this is what it's like to feel helpless or just nothing at all, to feel so insignificant in this persons eyes. Maybe this is what GC told me, the Lieutenants favorite horror story of a normal face in the crowd had a split personality and when they lost control nothing could help them. Not only that I can feel her pain pouring out of her somehow and it's squeezing me from the inside out... Someone stop it please!'

"Fine... You want Lightning? Catch!" Mel says and suddenly throws me toward everyone. Though I feel my senses were warbled and dazed I felt someone catch me, but I couldn't see who it was.

* * *

Omni POV:

The group all stared at this figure in awe and shock, this woman in shining silver armor with the symbol of Etro on her chest plate and shield had caught Lightning appeared out of thin air the second SOLDIER girl was launched at the group. Everyone was speechless but the floating demon in disguise looked down at the woman and smiled wickedly.

"You have grown so weak your will feels like it is about to break and shatter. Mel, I have come from a few years into the future, as commanded by the Goddess, to make you and everyone else open their eyes to the reality that we face!" The woman spoke in a stern voice as she summoned her blade, a traditional blade fused together by a silver gunblade, with white feathers flowing from the space around it and falling gently to the ground.

The demon Mel chuckled demonically and narrowed her eyes. She reached behind her and the space within her left hand birthed darkness and came a twisted large key shaped sword looking almost similar to a weapon called 'Oblivion' in a game.

"The Champion has come to save herself. You became selfish than selfless, huh?"

The woman stood her ground after she gently placed the weak Lightning on the ground, Hope ran up to her and began to cast healing magic at his mentor. The woman's cerulean blue eyes were steeled with determination and strength that she will cast the shadows away from this evil heart if it meant to protect her friends. She sweeper her spiked pink bangs to her right and called out to the L'cie.

"Please, I need your help to stop her. This is only the beginning of the change, I will be able to seal off the darkness but it will be a temporary solution. Will you guys stand with me?" The woman asks the group without leaving her attention from the monster.

Fang is the one to react first, she grins as she looks at Lightning than to the woman, she pulls her lance and holds it firmly with two hands and stands side by side with the woman the demon called, 'Champion'.

"You kidding? Why did you even have to ask? Your our team mate Pinky! Course we will aid ya!"

The woman looks at Fang and smiles in gratitude. Soon all the other L'cie, save for Light, stand alongside the woman and Fang. Claire and the other two new comers stood by Lightnings side and carried her away from the fight because there wasn't much she could do in her current weak state.

"Hey! What did you do to Light, you freak?!" Fang shouted as she casted a few Ruin spells at Mel.

The girl saw this and beated her wings, the spells were once launched at her but then they were pushed right back at the group. The woman raised her shield defended against the spells.

"What have I done to Lightning? Nothing! She stands there with you, no?" The demon says as she mocked Fang by imitating her accent and by imitating the way she talked. Fang growled at this and wanted to beat the crap out of this kid but the woman in armor stopped her.

"Keep a cool head, Fang. We can't afford any casualties at the moment. What she says is true, she didn't do any harm to me but she merely drained almost all of my energy to make me sit out of the fight. We can't attack, it wants us to attack it physically. We need to reach for the real Mel somehow without conflict." Lightning says to Fang who looks at the Lightning in silver armor as the Champion of Etro she lowered her lance and agreed with her to try and not to fight the possessed kid.

"What do we do then, if we can't fight it Light?" The huntress asks the Champion, future Lightning thinks and tells the group what to do.

"We use the story that Claire told us about her when she was in this possessed state. We attack her heart, she will eventually surrender and the real Mel in that dark shell will be able to have time to fight her way back to control. We just need to be very careful, the wrong words will force us to fight her, understand?" Everyone in the group nods.

'Lets just hope this plan works.'

Lightning walks closer to the edge and shouts to the winged beast,

"You looking for a fight?! You looking to draw blood?! Is that what you want?! Blood to satisfy your blood lust, why kill at all?!"

"I was made to kill dear Champion... I was just a kid then, my older sister was there to care for me when our parents abandoned us in the streets, and I was on my way home from school. When I was kidnapped the people who took me kept saying,' you are a killer! YOU were born to kill! We will show the world your true face!', they took me to our parents house and tortured me for days and Claire thought I was still on my way home. Poor ditz didn't know what was up until she got that call. They made me this way! All I ever need is blood and being satisfied by looking into my victims eyes and watching the light fade to grey! Like how how dead your going to be!"

Demon Mel charged straight at the group, they all raised their weapons but Light told them to stand down. She held her weapon up and said to the demon,

"We all have lost hope, lost faith in ourselves and lost it in everything else when things turned grim. You showed me that we can always find hope when you believe in your friends and in yourself when someone is there to guide you. Mel... Let me guide you back to the light!" When Lightning completed her sentence and Mel was just in close enough range she thrusted her gunblade and the blade ran through her chest, though the blade struck the heart no blood oozed out but the pure white glow of light poured out of the wound instead. The blade glistened and the light became brighter as the pink haired Champion spoke soft incantations in an alien language the demons form began to shrink and brought the real Mel out of the darkness and into the light once more. Lightning pulled her blade out and casted curaga to close the wound and laid the kid to rest.

Everyone stared at what just happened and tried to take it all in but there was too much to take in already they just stood around their two friends in shock.

"I understand this is a lot to take in but I was summoned here because of Mels darkness, I sensed it growing immensely that it could be felt in the world of Valhalla. I came to help and I cannot return until my task has been fulfilled. I must warn you though, I have been on this journey once before but have no recollection of the events that occurred, that being summoned here has interfered with the timeline and reality but if anything we must press on. But for now," Lightning stops and picks Mel up by wrapping one arm around her neck and used her arm to support her up.

"We must return, I will try to explain the best I can." She and Mel walked back down the tunnel to base camp. Everyone was still in shock but they all slowly poured through the tunnel after them.

* * *

Back at base camp Mel was treated and so was the L'cie Lightning, both Vanille and Hope looked after the two but glanced behind them every so often at the other Lightning.

"So, Light... What's with the fancy get up?" Fang asked feeling a bit uncomfortable like everyone else but Claire, Lily and Brandon who were being told of the incident.

"That is something I can't tell you, it's classified information, Fang." Lightning responded to the huntress.

"Where do you come from? I mean why are you here now?" Snow asks trying to say the right words but ends up making a lot of mistakes. Light looks at him and sighs.

"I come from Cocoon, Snow, and if you didn't hear me the first time I came from the world of Valhalla. I am here to aid you all. This journey has become a test, a test of will and heart. I am merely the proctor and the scorer here to watch how you do on your test."

"Yeah but why is a great question in need of a huge answer. What you said back there of how we lost hope, sure everyone does sometimes, but what does your purpose here change from not turning C'ieth? Must have something else in mind you'd care to share with us?" Sahz says to the Champion and everyone looks over at the out cold Lightning.

Future Lightning inhales then exhales deeply.

"If you all want to know then it will take a while to explain."

Everyone leaned in to listen in suspense but Vanille and Hooe who made sure Mel was really unconscience. Lightning looked at her former companions and smiled.

"Alright, here is what I will tell you..."

* * *

A/N: cliff hanger! I think... Sorry to cut the chapter a little short got stuff to do since today is Easter! But anyways hope this was an okay chapter, but what ya guys think about Lightning from 13-2 making an appearance? Strange how she's there huh? Well as always please leave a comment, review, critisicm, feedback(whatever) questions or whatever its up to you all! Alrighty then, until next time. Ciao!

ps: has no one caught on to the strange coincidence that Mels older sisters name is Claire, and Lightnings real name is ******. Okay no spoilers for those who don't know her real name but for those of you who do know you know what her name is already... 'Kay laters again!


	17. Why they appear

A/N: AeonLegacy: hey everybody, well there isn't much to say right now in the Authors Note but its alright because we can get right into the sto-

*Studio door slams open*

Fang: HEY! I'd like to have a word with you, Legacy! You got gall for what you did!

AeonLegacy: oh, look who has suddenly joined us, Oerba Yun Fang!

*Ominous music plays*

Fang: I will murder whoever is playing that music if they don't turn it off in the next two seconds!

*Music abruptly stops but a scared whimper is heard from the stands*

AeonLegacy: Whats up Fang? Did something happen?

Fang: Oh don't you dare play innocent with me, Legacy! You should know exactly what you did! You invited Vanille to this strange place without me! You know how long it took me to find the front door to this place in order to get in?! Honestly I thought I had to bust down walls and turn over the entire world to get here, but Nille showed me the way instead, you better thank her from stopping me from caving this place in ,Kid!

AeonLegacy: Alright then lets give you a proper introduction shall we? *Ahem* Sorry had to clear my throat... Okay folks we have a surprise guest joining me here in the viewing box is the one and only Oerba Yun Fang!

*Audience claps both in fear and enthusiastically*

AeonLegacy: So tell me Fang, what is on your mind right now?

Fang: Hunting.

AeonLegacy: Anything else on your mind?

Fang: Yup, Lightning... Don't think of it the wrong way but its just that there's two of her. The one I've been travellin' with is out cold as we speak while the other Light, that's wearin' the fancy armor and stuff, claims to be from the future. I came here to ask bout that.

AeonLegacy: Well, Fang, isn't that what the armored Lightning was going to explain to you guys about? You should have waited to hear her story instead of making everybody wait for you by coming here and ask me. Is that the reason why you came here?

Fang: Yup... Plus, I came here because I was bored out of my wits end standing guard over everyone while a few slept and the rest are doing their own thing. I had to find something to do to pass the time!

AeonLegacy: Okayyyy... Anyways, thank you Fang for joining us. Now let us continue with the story, Godere Amicos.

Fang: Yea, enjoy!

* * *

Future Lightnings perspective:

"I stood before the throne of Etro and pledged my service to the Goddess, the shrine felt calm and heavy because all of time and history was flowing through the world. I was watching from the highest chamber as the light of history flowed into the time stream in form of golden light, everything was still and the ocean of time crashed onto the worlds shoreline. I watched as history flowed into my mind and showed me everything from the past and present. But one time stream was different from the rest, it was dark as night and it felt corrupted. I found the time cord that was connected to our journey as L'cie and found the source of the darkness: Mel. We all know that she and her friends were never meant to be in our world but something has disturbed the Historia Crux and their existence has changed a great deal. I continued to watch this time stream and it showed me that her heart became corrupted that history itself was being altered, when I saw what had happened when the past me confronted the kid as she transformed I traveled from Valhalla to the exact location of the conflict to resolve it. But the reason why I had left my post was a mystery, it was no longer a problem I was supposed to deal with yet it felt like the right thing to do. To tell you the truth I don't remember much from my journey but I remember hearing someone call out to me and guided me to Valhalla... That is one reason I am here: to fix time and history before the historia Crux crumbles and chaos will be set loose, Mel has already weakened the seal of chaos due to her demonic nature and I plan on fixing it." I said to the group as I tried my best to explain the reason I was here but I don't think I could tell them 'how' I would fix it. But 'why' I really left Valhalla not from a voice but on impulse confused me because I never thought of leaving in the first place.

Every one of my former companions, and the newcomers, were all staring at me as if I told them a lie. They were quiet as they all wore perplexed looks and they all looked like all the words I said were impossible to be true. The walk through the traps leading to the Fifth Arc was simple, much simple than I remember, I took the Paradigm roles as the Paladin and Shaman and cut down the enemies before us without any trouble or resistance while making our way through. I would cast my wind based magic in Shaman role and threw all the enemies off and over the edge to plummet to their demise, or strong enemies I would attack with Ruinga and Blitz to destroy everything around us. I tried not to linger far from the restraints I held firmly in my hand, the chain links could only go so far, about a few meters away almost beside my past self was Mel. I have to keep an extremely close eye on her because right now her heart is in war with the darkness, and for some reason when she reverted back to her normal self everything turned back but her eyes remain the same crimson red and animalistic and there were a few lone strands of pale white silver in her bangs, and if I left her unchecked then there is a small chance that she would turn back into a monster. The chains I held were connected to a special leather choker resembling a black and silver leather dog collar around her neck, her head was down and everyone looked at her in case something happened. Her sister is the only one that isn't afraid of her, that's her sister she shouldn't be afraid yet most siblings would look the other way if they had the chance. I was a few meters away from the girl but I could still hear their conversation.

"You feeling okay, Mel?" Claire asks her younger sibling.

"Why are you still by me, Claire? Aren't you afraid that I might hurt you?" Mel asks her older sister in a hoarse and growl like tone. Claire shakes her head in response.

"Whatever you are I will never be afraid of you. Your my younger sister, I'll do anything to help you even if it meant my life was on the line. Besides, no matter what you would never hurt me intentionally or accidentally, human or not your were always a nice person deep down. It's not what you look like that makes you a monster or human, you are labeled based on your actions and you are still human inside..." Claire was trying her best to tame her sisters anger but I had a feeling she wasn't able to reach Mel, and if I heard Mel right when her voice somehow touched my thoughts when my blade ran through her I thought I heard something being sneered directly at Claire,

"You are one of the reasons I became a monster, Claire!"

The demon voice didn't like her very much and blamed her for something but what? Was I summoned here to fix the historia crux or for another reason? I wish I knew myself...

"Where exactly are we going? Anyone knows?" I heard the blond boy named Brandon ask, he reminds me of Snow only he knows when to back off at times.

The area we all wandered was not really the place we we meant to be in, the map Mel made after she woke up she made a marker of where we were supposed to go, this looked like an abandoned green factory with machines scattered around in ruins. The air was thick and heavy, not from any sort of smell but from a sort of feeling appeared out of nowhere.

"Does this room feel wrong or is it just me?" Snow asked out of the blue the closer we walked into the very vast room, the metal platform clanking under our feet. For some reason every able body here drew their weapons ready, Brandon was forged an Earth Ax by Fang and Lily was given a large monochromic black metal Scythe by my past self and the pulse huntress and the pulsian healer, and when we crossed the corner we all saw an unexpected face we never would have thought would be here.

* * *

Omni POV:

"Raines? Is that you?" Fang asked the familiar figure that appeared before the group out of nowhere. Cid Raines looked calm and collected as always but he seemed different than when the L'cie met him the first time.

"Surprised, L'cie? I'd be surprised, too, if I were in your shoes." Raines says calmly, he walked forward a few steps the stops in his tracks.

"Why are you here?" Fang asks her believed to be ally. Raines closes his head and looks at the floor, his black razor cut bangs falls and covers his eyes.

"I am here... To fulfill my duty..." Raines says softly. His tone was soft and sounded monotone.

The group is confused but Mel walked fast beside the Champion Lightning and said in an almost emotionless yet loud enough voice,

"His 'duty' that he is here to fulfill is about us! Believe it or not, it's up to you, but Raines is a Sanctum L'cie!"

Everyone looks at the girl then to Cid Raines in a stalemate, unsure of who to believe first. Cid chuckles softly and raises his head to see the group once more.

"Yes, I am a Sanctum L'cie... I was cursed with the focus to guide the tools of Cocoons demise so they would succeed in destroying the Utopia and to resummon the Maker. I was cursed, by a Sanctum Fal'cie..."

"You were a L'cie all this time, Raines?! How did that happen!?" Fang cried aloud to her ally to learn more.

"I wasn't always a L'cie, I had made preparations to free the citizens of Cocoon by forcing the Primarch into submission. It was when I discovered the Primarchs true identity did I become branded as a L'cie. I have the focus of guiding you to become stronger so Cocoon would fall, but I plan to defy my fate!" Raines the curls his arms near his chest and blinding white light envelopes him. The team all cover their eyes the best they could until if fades away. When the light is no more they all found Cid Raines as a pure crystal C'ieth hybrid, almost his entire body is crystal but part of his chest, his face and from his left forearm down. All that remained of his uniform was on his lower limbs and her still wore his snow white boot too. Also, his right arm is nearly the same size as of a C'ieth's arm but with sharp talons than plank like fingers.

"I shall not talk no more, it is futile if we continue conversing. I am here to defy mine and your fates as tools of destruction. Come! L'cie of Barthandalus, let us determine our destiney together!" He cried as he stood ready to attack. The party was about to attack but out of nowhere Claire went charging straight at the hybrid, her gold and sapphire blue halberd was held firmly in her hands, her brown eyes looked that of pure rage.

Cid Raines stood there watching the foolish girl come at him even when he had the option to evade he chose not to and decided to raise his right arm in front of him and blocked the halberd as it came in contact with him. Claire was gritting her teeth as she began to put pressure on her weapon, when she knew that continuing to do what she was doing was futile so she raised her halberd into the air and brought it down on Raines with all her strength.

"CLANK!"

Raines and Claire, with the party, saw that the young girls weapon was split in half that the end with the sharpened blade was sent flying behind her meters away. The thickness of the crystal armor on Raines skin was thicker than the blade it was strong enough to snap the pole along with the blade in half even with not much power put behind it. Claire stares at her broken weapon in horror and looks into the crystal clear blue eyes of the man she just attacked, Raines gave her a sad but disappointing look and went out of his defensive mode and activated his offensive mode. He grabbed the nineteen year old by the collar of her black skin tight shirt and lifted her off of the ground, his eyes were glowing white then laser like beams of light shot from his eyes and blasted Claire out of his grip and she was sent flying into the air, Raines's talons ripped the girls shirt down the middle so her torso was nearly exposed. Mel saw what happened and she began to get agitated her eyes were glowing crimson than being just crimson red, she swiped the chains from the Champion Lightning's hand so she wouldn't be restricted anymore and dashed madly with inhumane speed and jumped more than twenty feet into the air and caught her sister bridal style so she wouldn't crash hard onto the ground and be left dazed. Mel was at first relieved when she caught her sister but out of nowhere she saw Raines from the corners of her eyes, she tried to switch her postion so she could block whatever attack Raines would throw at her but she was too slow and distracted that Raines had enough time to finish his attack by bringing both of his arms above his head and slammed his fists painfully hard into Mel's exposed abdomens his brute strength forced the girl to be slammed onto her back the force made a crater with smoke and debris surrounding the gap the metal groaned from the weight of the force and made both sisters unconscious.

Seeing two of their allies were wounded once more, and one will probably turn again and rip this guy to shreds, both Lightning's from the present and future held their gunblades ready and were in the Commando, Paladin, roles and confronted the hybrid. Hope, Sahz, Snow, Vanille, Fang, Lily, and Brandon stood beside the twin look alike ready to fight. Raines saw he was outnumbered but he still had one more phase to turn into: He curled up into a ball and light shrouded him forming a sphere around him. The others stared at him with absolution of winning and waited, when the wait was over Raines came out of the sphere and grew crystallized wings on his back he was a winged C'ieth. Fang was the first to react and charged straight at Raines who didn't fully recover from his early use of his Metamorphos spell, she conjured multiple spells from her left palm while she ran; thunder and water and fire and aero and ice the basic first class spells then she gradually went to the second tier spells then the third tier. Large smoke clouds erupted into existence as each spell collided with another spell, when she got closer Fang roared in rage and swung her lance up into an uppercut then she swung her lance and attacked sideways like she was swinging a baseball bat and Raines was the baseball she just kept lashing out at. Vibrations went through her arms telling her she made contact but then when she sweeps the clouds of smoke with her Blitz move Raines disappeared from where he stood but small puddles of blood were what he left behind.

"Damn! Where did he go?" Fang questions herself as she was forced into her sentinel role, looking in every direction to keep an eye out for Cid to appear from.

Future Lightning had enough with this, she was tired of just watching everything like this happening before her eyes but she knew she couldn't interfere anymore than she already has. The only thing that came to mind was keeping Mel's demon heart in check or else everyone, especially Raines, will surly die so she walked toward the crater Mel and Claire made after Cid attacked them and jumped down into the gap to find the two siblings. Present Lightning sees what her future self is doing but remains focused on the fight at hand.

Fang looks around but hears metal groaning, it was very loud and close, but she didn't know where to look. She felt her left foot collapse a bit and realized he was attacking from below. The huntress jumps into the air to avoid being grabbed and pulled down her forest green eyes become bewildered as white light shine through the cracks of where she once stood and realizes she can't escape Raines ray attack if shes in midair. The metal groans once more and the light becomes a very powerful beam of lethal energy and shoots directly for Fang like a bullet. Fangs only option at the time is to remain in her sentinel role and used her steel guard move and waits for the bullet like attack to hit her as her defenses raise. Vanille sees the attack Raines shoots towards Fang and sees that the speed the projectile is too fast and would mortally wound the huntress, she decides instantly to use her Malboro wand to send the cords flying at her friend. The hooks attached to the end of the cords find their way to the huntress and hook on top of her clothes, with all her might Vanille pulls as hard as she can and pulls Fang out of the way of the blast. Fang is pulled aside by the wands hooks and her friends force but the bullet like projectile merely grazes her bottom left rib cage and a small explosion was made when the light beam impacted against the ceiling than with Fang, but the graze sends waves of pain through her entire body and the small miss explodes and, burns the part of Fangs ribs and fractures it she had a trickle of blood flowing from both corners of her mouth, sends Fang into the crater Mel and Claire and future Lightning was in. Vanilles hooks were blown off from the force and quickly chases after her friend, when she was about to catch her friends Raines appears in front of her and uses his large crystal talon arm and knocks the red head away with a back hand and she crashes with a loud thud. Without looking Raines is ambushed by Brandon and Lily as they combined their weapons and swing downward upon the hybrid. The impact of the Ax and Scythe made shallow cuts to the open cracks in his skin that the huntress had made and Raines felt pain.

"We got him!" Brandon says in an excited and cocky tone, Lily was about to tell him to shut it she didn't get the chance and Raines beated his wings and sends the pair flying.

"Pathetic..." Was all he said, then in god like speed he appears beside Brandon, brings his right arm up with his talons in a fist, and drives a punch into the young teens mid section. The blond teen coughs heavily from the hit and blood flies from his lips and his eyes roll back white, out cold. Lily gets back to her feet and tries to stand and raise her weapon but she was still weak from the tortures and the blade and her own weight was too much for her to bear.

'How do we beat someone that has these freaky powers!? This can't be real! But it must be, nothing else feels like a dream... Damn it!' Lily thought to herself as she realizes she can no longer hold her own, she watches with her blurry vision trying to get back into the fight without trying to show any weakness.

"Persistent to live but also so eager to die..."

Lily's eyes widened as the hybrid appeared before the split second she blinked, the aura emerging from his being was very powerful the girls body shook and tensed itself paralyzed in fear. She didn't look away nor tried to breathe, the fear that suddenly took hold on her made her seem like a misplaced store doll. Raines looks behind him and sees the young boy he brutally wounded then back at this girl before him, he pulls his left arm back and strikes the girl but before his fist connected with her chest present and future Lightning block the attack with their gunblades and slashes at Raines torso creating a 'X' shaped crack on his chest. Future Light had Lily under her arm and took her over to Snow, Hope, Vanille and Sahz to take care of her while present Lighting brought Brandon over to the group as well.

"Snow and Vanille I need you two to go down there into the crater to help Mel, Claire and Fang. They are in dire need of help at the moment." Future Lightning says.

"How come you couldn't bring them up yourself when you were down there?" Snow questioned the Champion.

"I felt that the battle has escalated and decided to help up here, besides I wasn't anywhere near the three wounded. I need to help here, please... Help them. Help them in my place from whence I failed to do." Future Lightning explains and sounds almost like she pleaded in the end. Snow and Vanille look at the Champion then to each other and nods. The pair run toward the crater and jumped down into the gap. Future Light looks at Raines then to her Present self and asks,

"Are you ready?" In a calm voice. Present Lightning draws her gunblade that had been upgraded from a Lionheart to an ultima weapon. She stares at the hybrid and remains in her battle position firmly gripping her weapons hilt.

"Hope! Sahz! Go near the crater with those two kids. Try to stay out of this fight as much as possible, just stay near the crater in case Snow and Vanille need help. Okay?" She says to the remaining L'cie yards behind them who look at her and does what was asked of them without question. Hope casted Protect to everyone on the platform as did Sahz with haste then moved away from the battleground.

"Running from a fight with your backs turned shall be your undoing!" Raines took flight into the air and boomed through the air at sonic speed. His talons were outstretched like a battering ram aiming at the other L'cie, he was seconds away from piercing his claws into both L'cies flesh but sparks flew instead of blood. Hope and Sahz looks up to see both Lightnings used their combined strength to trap Raines's claws between their blades and stopped him from attacking.

His eyes suddenly widened in marvel at this feat these two women did and tries to free his hand but he found himself stuck in place.

Present Lightning conjures a red rose bud shaped crystal from her white overcoat and tosses it into the air. Both Lights swing their blades outward and the force of their blades were strong enough to slice right though the crystal armor and severed Raines's hand, as he screamed in pain present Light aims her gunblade skyward and shoots a lone bullet through the air and connects with the red crystal she summoned. When the crystal was shattered the white knight Odin appeared and stood behind his master. Future Light was about to do the same but a wave of pain and heavy pressure weighed down on her as she tried to summon beasts to her side and discovered that she couldn't. The weight crushed her the more she tried to summon something but due to this unbearable pressure she gives up on completing the feat and charges.

Distracted Raines didn't see the Champion charging and tries to fly but a metallic hand grabs him by his ankle and slams him down onto the metal platform a large dent was made in place of where he landed. Raines looks through his blurry vision and tries to blast his way out but armored boots and military boots slam onto his usable left arm and his stub of a right limb. Two blades, with an additional twin set, was aimed at his throat. Nobody moved nor made a sound, Light was about to drive their blade into his chest but something stopped them. Raines looks into the eyes of his deliverers and a small fleeting smile appeared on his lips.

"You have grown strong, I thought I could beat you for the sake of Cocoon, but I have failed to do what I was tasked with."

Present Light returns the stare to Cid and says in a calm and determined voice,

"That is what we were planning to do, we are going to save Cocoon. For you, Serah and Sahzs little boy. We planned all along to defy our fate, couldn't you see that, Raines?"

Cid loses his fleeting smile and an actual smile appears on his face.

"I may have but I was blinded by myself into thinking that I would be the one to save the day... Please, forgive me..." He says waiting for an answer.

Future Light exchanges looks with her present self then to Raines who nods and replies.

"We forgive you, you were only doing what you thought was best to free your people..."

Raines smile became genuine and he closes his eyes.

"Thank you, please! Save Cocoon for me, for the people, save everyone from the Fal'cies influence..."

With that said Odin disappeared and a cylindrical shaped light of white surrounded Raines, both Lights jumped out of the way and out of the dent seeing that Raines had turned to crystal and his crystal form vanished. The two didn't say a word for a few moments until they went to the crater and aided their companions then told them what had happened in their absence.

* * *

After going about through many trials the group had been training in the Fifth Arc for many hours before they had reached a large steel safe door blocking their path. Since they defeated the red guard the door automatically opened to the groups presence. Everyone was cared for and treated after the fight with Raines and with the minor enemies that had strengthen the groups resolve, determination and fighting spirit, Brandon and Lily and Claire all wished to return home from this fantasy but waited until Mel had woken up to see how she was doing. Since she was struck by Raines she didn't wake up from the blow nor impact, this worried the three and the others as well.

Champion Lightning had been lost in thought throughout the fight, but finishing the battle with a leveled head, ever since she discovered her inability to summon monsters nor her own eidolon to stand beside her. This troubled her greatly but had to focus on what was ahead of them so she continued to take point ahead of the group. The door finally opened and everyone flooded into the next part of the room, ruins of building almost like scraps do an entire block and streets were under here. Out in the ocean of glowing liquid and ruin was an airship but there seemed no way to get to the airship in time.

Fang held her lance as she felt her heart feel heavy with a pain she could hold off for a time but would return stronger than before. She slams her lance onto the ground, turns to face her companions and stands in her battle pose ready to fight them. She swallows the irking pain and says in a shaky voice.

"I don't want to do this but I got to! We have to become Ragnorak! Its the only way to complete our focus."

Vanille steps in front of the group and looks at her friend concerned.

"Why are you changing your mind so suddenly, Fang? We all agreed to save Cocoon by defying our focus." The red head says to the huntress. Fang could t take it anymore so she snapped.

"I don't care to what we agreed on anymore, Nille! You don't have much time left and I swore to make sure you don't turn C'ieth! What if we do save Cocoon from the Fal'cie? By killing off Barhthandalus and this Orphan lot there is a chance that you, maybe everyone else, will turn C'ieth! I'm sorry Nille but I won't take that kind of a gamble. I'm doing this to protect you! If you guys are going to stop me then come and try!"

After saying what was needed to be said Fang then doubled over in pain and clutched her brand on her right forearm where her mark began glowing. She was grunting and gritting her teeth from the pain she couldn't bear it, like the burden she carried and from being useless when it came down to completing her focus when she has no recollection of it in the first place. When the dark violet runes and symbols surrounded her in the sky unusual dark clouds swirled and formed with the symbols and runes in front of it and out crashing came Fangs untamed Eidolon, Bahamut.

She looks at the dark beast and scoffs in frustration.

"What?! You pissed at me too? I don't care! What I'm doing is to save Vanille! If you come to destroy me for choosing this path then come and get me!" She cries to Bahamut in annoyance and in pain, the dark dragon like beast casts doom and the same pain Lightning, Snow and Sahz felt she starts to feel as constant waves of excruciating pain swallows the huntress she crashes down onto the ground with a heavy thud and starts to have body spasms. Vanille castes Curaja and curaga, whatever healing spell she had with Hopes help to relieve the pain her friend felt while biting back tears.

Bahamut was about to attack but shadowy shackles trap the beast in place by bounding its wrists and ankles. Everyone turns to Snow who carried Mel to see her right hand was raised and was clasped in a tight fist with shadows surrounding her clenched hand. The eidolon couldn't move and the restraints tightened and tightened the more Mel squeezed her hands, it roared out to the heavens to be released but the darkness was replaced with pure white light and and envelopes the beast in its hold and turns into a sphere and starts to shrink. The more the sphere shrank the pain Fang felt lessened and lessens until the pain was gone, once the white sphere was gone a purple crystal appeared and presented itself to the pulsian huntress. She sits straight up and holds the crystal in her hand and it responds to her touch. She stares at it in disbelief, as does everyone else, and says to the interloper,

"What no fight?" In a tired but sarcastic tone.

When Mel jumped off of Snows back her features changed once more; her eyes were blank but instead of red they were glowing blue like blue lightning flashing trough the storm and her hair color was pure moonlight silver and her aura was featherweight and safe. Her blue eyes meet with forest green eyes and she stands directly in front of the huntress.

"You know why that eidolon presented itself to you Fang... You lost your way and it wanted to show you the way back even if it meant killing you, I didn't want to put up with that, and didn't want to see you suffer, so I interfered and helped you by stating what Bahamut wanted to tell you. Stick to that path you wandered on before you went on a rampage otherwise more trouble will be caused, okay?" the interloper explains as she has her hand in front of Fang, she looks at the girls hand and takes it in hers and pulls herself up to her feet. After she stood tall a path of light made its way toward the ship making a bridge for the group to walk on. Claire sees her sister awake and calls out to her,

"Mel!"

Mel turns her head to look behind but looks nonchalant and disapproved being called Mel.

"That is not my name, when I appear this way I am referred to as Ven; short for Ventus but it means or refers to 'wind'. I am the master of the air, not your sister. I am that small part of light that is fighting the darkness here in her heart... You understand how things became the way it is now right, Claire?" Ven explains for Claire and the others to hear but the young military recruit stares at the ground and knows how things became the way they are. Ven nods to her and says,

"Later we can discuss this, just it now..." And walks toward the air ship with everyone following suit. The closer they got to the ship until they stood in front of it someone just had to ask where this ship is going to take them.

"Know where this thing leads?" Sahz asks out loud to the group who all shook their heads not knowing the answer. Ven stand by the airship and the door to the inside opens up to them, they breath in the air and exhale out.

"I know where this thing is going..." She says softly to herself and grins. She turned to face everyone and says with fleeting excitement,

"We are going to Gran Pulse!"

* * *

A/N: oh, man! Finally this is done! Took me a while but it's just done! Actually there is not much to say right now only to ask to leave a comment, review, question, the same old same old from previous chapters. Hope this was a good and interesting chapter, until next time. Ciao!


	18. Reasons and Gran Pulse

A/N: OH MY GLOB YOU GUYS! (Adventure Time reference) This fanfic has a little bit more than 3,000 views! I'm so happy, it wouldn't have been done without your support! So major thank you for reading and reviewing and whatever! Okay back to the story; a small recap and my cohost today is Hope Estheim, heya Hope!

*Crowd claps enthusiastically*

Hope: Hello, Legacy, thanks for having me here today.

AeonLegacy: No problem. So Hope, what had been running through your mind before and after the battle with Cid Raines in the Fifth Arc?

Hope: Well, uh, it was very tense before the battle. Ever since Lightning, the Light that took me under her wing to teach me how to survive, woke up hours after she fell unconscious she saw the other her and, well, things didn't go very well when the two interacted with the other...

AeonLegacy: Care to elaborate your thoughts?

Hope: Well Lightning saw her future self and pretty much demanded why there was another her, none of us knew the answer until the future her tried to explain but she really has it bad for the her in the armor. I mean, well I wouldn't know how she felt then, it was very tense when they were together or around each other that sparks flew when they even glanced at each other... Like deep red, disapproving, sparks flew!

AeonLegacy: Okay now how about after the fight with Raines?

Hope: After the fight, well I can tell you that during the fight it was terrible because Claire and Fang and Mel and Brandon and Lily looked practically on deaths list while they were fighting him and I thought he wouldn't go down, I was absolutely amazed as I witnessed him turn to crystal from afar but the way that both Lightnings fought together looked so fluent and purely astonishing I thought that they just had to put their differences aside and got along pretty great. I guess that is why I look up to her, like an older sister that I can count on like Vanille you know?

AeonLegacy: Alright, one last question before you head back.

Hope: Okay.

AeonLegacy: It has been a very long while, and you had encountered many trials, but do you remember the promise you and Mel and Vanille made together to one day see Gran Pulse together back at the Vile Peaks?

Hope: Oh, wow, I almost forgot about that promise. But yeah, I remember but almost vaguely... I got hesitant to get on the airship when Mel, I mean Ven, said it would take us to Gran Pulse I felt like my feet were planted into the glowing bridge and my heart was beating fast and I felt very cold... But when I saw that everyone was by me I built up my courage to step onto the ships walking platform and got inside ready to fulfill that promise.

AeonLegacy: Okay, thank you, Hope for joining me and the viewers here today. Glad you came and have a great time there.

Hope: Okay, thank you too Legacy! You have a great day too, well I better go now, goodbye.

*Hope has left the building*

AeonLegacy: Okay now with that done let us begin the story, enjoy!

* * *

Omni POV:

The airship had been flying through the vortex of different colors and sounds for awhile until a white glow appeared in front of the ship and the rest of the colors vanished to porcelain. And once the white turned to all sorts of assorted color vast land of nature and beautiful landscapes could be seen throughout the entire place, Vanille and Fang both looked out the window panes and smiled happily and Vanille even squealed in delight as the creatures flew beside them and saw her and Fang's homeland after five hundred years had passed since they had been in crystal stasis. Everyone marveled at this magnificent sight it took their breaths away, then out of the blue a large beast resembling a gigantic centipede flew upward in front of the airship the craft shook and wavered from the unexpected turbulence.

"Playful critter, isn't he?" Fang says sarcastically to the party aloud as the monster flew away.

"Yeah, well play with someone else." Present Lightning says coldly to Fangs question as she stood behind the huntress.

Sahz smiles lightly as Vanille giggles playfully an replies,

"Happens all the time."

Fang watches the monsters movements and says to the group in a cool tone,

"It thinks we're lunch." She says as she shakes her head curtly.

"Yeah, like a L'cie buffet." Sahz says at the controls going along with Fangs little game.

Claire, Brandon and Lily stare at the monster as it flew away and came around back at the ship, not used to seeing such a great and grotesque creature the three all huddle together and made themselves as small as possible thinking it would pass them by without a second glance.

"'Cie food, cute." Lightning says to Sahz's remark as she, Fang, Snow, Vanille, Hope and Mel, who had reverted back to her 'normal' self as the neutral party of both benevolence and malice, stand in their fighting positions ready to take on the beast when necessary. As the monster grew closer Hope says in an almost panicked tone,

"Guys it's getting closer!"

Then the monster crashes onto the side of the air ship and a large hole had been made from the damage. As the wind sucked everything out from the inside Hope and Vanille were pulled out by the force, Vanille caught Hope by the wrist and by the broken, reachable, scrap metal but the force was too strong and both of them were free falling out of the ship and into the air.

"Vanille!" Fang cried as she saw the pulsian healer get blown out.

"Hope!" Present Lightning does the same as the silver haired boy gets blown away with the wind and Vanille.

Mel sees the two who she felt like she could connect with and didn't look the other way from her runs toward the opening and dives straight for her two closest friends. Claire saw her sister and, with her maternal instincts kicking in, jumps out after her.

"Are those two sisters insane or what!?" Fang says as she and Present Lightning jump out after those who went out into the air. While they did that Snow and Sahz with Future Lightning and the two other interlopers decided to abandon ship and jumped out.

Vanille and Hope were screaming at the top of their lungs as the wind whistled past them and grew louder every second they were falling to the earth. Fang, at the time, summoned her eidolon stone and shucked it into the clouds. Present Lightning was with her and drew her gun blade and shot a bullet at the stone that the crystal shattered from the projectile and through magically conjured heavy storm clouds came the dark beast Bahamut in its first form then transformed into Gesalt mode and became the flying beast that ruled the heavens. Bahamut caught Fang and Light then went after the others and caught the other L'cie and the outsiders then dived straight for the other remaining three L'cie and the interlopers sister.

Mel saw the two L'cie were almost in her reach then as she tried to dive out for them her vision around her eyes begins to grow dark and everything begins to warble and waver. She shook her head and cursed in annoyance.

"Damn it, not now!"

The wind blew past her as she sees through her blurry and dark vision that Hope was reaching his hand out to her but before Mel could clasp her fingers around the fourteen year olds wrist her body became heavy as stone and blacked out with her body falling faster than the others at their speed.

* * *

My POV:

The darkness has entangled me in its dark web and clammy cold fingers once again it wasn't really surprising, I was brought to this world from the darkness it didn't bother me nor made me even care, I felt its presence many times I was used to the shadows playing with me as it made me see the events of the beginning of my journey to now. As I laid in the darkness my head began to pound and throb I couldn't bear it, my eyes were shut tightly and my fingers curled over my ears that I scratched my temples out of pain. As I opened my eyes all of my remaining memories were stripped from me one by one as I watched them play a scene from my life and turned to white. I felt tears shed from my eyes as I watched this, trying to hold onto my memories but I wasn't strong enough to do so as I watched it being taken from me.

My life from middle school to my sophomore year in high school was taken from me, my friends other than Brandon and Lily and our time hanging out and going to the movies or the arcade or the book store was taken from me, then as I saw myself and Claire watching a horror movie together and I practically leapt into her arms and cried my eyes out in horror, gone. I cried desperately as I saw the memories of me and Claire were vanishing from my thoughts, Claire and her warm and comforting smile I don't want to lose her!

"Claire! Forgive me! It was me all along! I understand you did what you had to do, I'm sorry!" I cried out into the darkness that doesn't even have an echo for my voice was loud with regret and guilt. I remembered a small detail of how my so called Father found me and why he kidnapped me while i was walking home from school. I remember I was caught in a fight trying to be a 'hero', I won the fight but I was beaten badly but the ones who picked a fight with me, three eight grade boys, were in worse shape than me. I think they would have a major concussion and broken bones when the ambulance comes to pick them up so I left quickly and pulled my hoodie over my head and walked home. I was nearly home until a few guys in dark suits with dark shades came out of nowhere and attacked me, I was weak so the resistance I gave was nothing to them. I was thrown into a sort of car, it was dark inside but I couldn't tell if the windows were tinted opaque black or if I was blind folded, and I felt it move. I was pulled out and when I was pushed inside my 'dad' and 'mom' greeted me. This memory was painful and cruel to me in my eyes, I thought that my 'parents' were ready to finally accept me but instead threw into the governments labs and experimented on me. I cried and prayed that I would be saved but I wasn't, I blamed mostly Claire and cursed the people who took me in after my actual parents went away for a long time; yeah, I always forgot that Claire isn't my sister by blood just by choice and her parents hated me they would have gone as far as torture other people's kid. When I was free weeks later my rage is what got me out, thus my second double ganger it represented my pain and my hatred of everything and the blood was the blood I spilt before and after I got sent here... Claire came for me too late and I was already a monster, that night that storm appeared I was left alone as always, her mission to find a cure for me and for her work as a lieutenant in training caused her to leave all the time, but I was only deluding myself into virtual reality to keep me sane and from becoming a demon again. I was slowly losing myself but here I lost much more than me but everything!

My eyes were flowing greatly and my heart was so heavy not even forgiveness would free me of this burden. I contemplated and reflected on everything that I could recall, which was very little, and laid there staring into the empty void. Time was nothing here but a small silver light bloomed from in front of me I shielded my eyes with my arms that when the light faded I looked and saw my reflection, two reflections in this world that in the background of the non existent mirror was like the ocean flowing gently around twilight. The reflections all had similar features to me only they were altered;

On my left stood my first double ganger with pale silver hair and sincere glowing electric blue eyes that reminded me of lightning that flashes during a storm. Their clothes rivaled my new attire with a black sleeveless vest that had golden rings etched into the cloth of the collar and the part of the vest that locks together with a bronze zipper on both sides, a deep red T-shirt replaced my red sleeveless one, dark grey slacks replaced my baggy grey ones and I wore a cross shaped accessory around my choker. My hiking boots altered to black dress like shoes with white at the toes, my black pouch change and looked like Lightnings red pouch that was around her leg only mine was navy blue, and my silver pauldrons remained the same. My first double ganger stared back at me with similar everything but their clothes were like mine but were all white. They also had wings white as the snow I see from behind them, they smiled at me gently but I don't think I did anything in return...

On my right was my second Double Ganger, it looked the same as the first reflection, it had crimson red eyes that glowed and looked terrifying to look into without feeling cold or afraid with those cat like pupils narrowing to slits, raven black hair and dark grey or midnight black colored clothes. This one looks at me with hesitant and blank eyes with a small frown on their face with a lone canine tooth showing from the left corner of it's pale pink lips, and same as it's benevolent counterpart had wings the color of a ravens cloak.

After I couldn't look at my altered reflections I turned my attention away from them until I heard the sound of bells tolling somewhere in the distance. I opened my eyes and listened to the bells, it sounded far away from me but it sounds very familiar that my body moves on its own and starts running to the sound away from the nonexistent mirror.

The closer I assumed I got I ran full tilt, when it sounded distant I would turn the other way. The noise was taunting me now, like a rainbow the closer you think you are to it it just moves away, if I had to guess the amount of time that passed I'd say about a few hours to a few days... I dropped onto my knees and sat there on my legs ignoring the bells at my will I think it became silent again in that world. I sat there reflecting and I looked at my hands and for some reason they were stained the color of scarlet but it was creepy that it was warm and looked fresh.

"What is with this? Why is there blood on my hands?" I asked myself as I tried drawing up conclusions but nothing came to me.

Then I stood to my feet without looking away from the glistening red blood I hear the bells toll again and the darkness turns white; I was taken out of the darkness and put into a weird world and standing tall between marble stone pillars was a beautiful crystal throne with a replica beside it. The first throne had a woman, a very pretty one, sitting on the throne gracefully as she looked down at me.

I was confused, she seemed familiar same as this world, to where I was and who this woman was but her eyes were kind, experienced and saw right through me.

"It seems that you realized the reason for your destructive powers correct?" The woman asks me calmly with a stoic expression on her face. I look at her but I don't know how to respond.

"I see... So your memories have been taken and are here within the throne beside me..." The woman says in a soft, hushed tone, but this open chamber echoed and her voice was loud enough to hear. I think I gave her a confused look, she smiles and nods her head curtly and glides off of her throne. She walks toward me, her armor clanking together as she walks, and I have the urgent sense to run away but I don't. As she in within arms reach she reaches for me and her hands are placed onto my shoulders, they were light and soft even with the gauntlets on her hands, and looks at me square in the eyes and continues to speak.

"You have finally lost everything,

child who bears the scars of natures powerful force.

You were chosen to aid evil to destroy the world,

you question so to why you were here while in the process have lost all you had.

I can feel your heart tugging, screaming questions to the answers you can't comprehend.

You have fulfilled the first task...

Now you must face the second test.

The throne beside me has what you desire,

Complete the task given to you and you shall be rewarded."

The woman explains to me almost like she's a walking riddle book but the words she spoke were crystal clear but I couldn't understand what she really meant. My heart raced and I had a quick vision of the two mirror reflections I saw before, I wanted to ask her and tried to speak out but my voice no longer was with me...

The sound of metal clanking stops and I see the woman stopped walking, she turns her head like she's looking at me and nods.

"The images you saw were mirrored you's... The left, called Ventus the master of wind and water is your 'angel' self. The good part of you that still exists with your right, called Malice the master of earth and fire is your 'demon' self. They portray the conflicts you endured and they also show how much light you have left... They appear when the need is great, like when Malice appeared; he came and took over because he believed that the darkness overpowered your will and thought that by summoning the Future self of my soon to be champion she would aid you. Ventus appeared because she assumed the fight you and the others endured with that man, Cid Raines, took a toll on you all so she was given a chance to give you all time to rest." The woman then continues to the throne on her right and stops before it, it wasn't the same throne she sat on though but the carnations of white and dark swirled around in there I thought forsaken spirits lived in it.

The woman places a hand on the base of the throne and, without moving her hand, turns to see me.

"Come forth, Interloper." She says cooly and out of some strange feeling I obeyed.

The closer I got I stopped in my tracks when the woman raises her free hand up and brilliant green light glimmered and glowed from beneath my feet, I stared ahead of me with my eyes on the light of where the woman's hand was and it grew brighter and stronger my eyes squinted greatly.

"I am the Goddess of death and time, the Goddess Etro. Child, you were called here by an evil force to be used to destroy humanity. I called you here to my realm, Valhalla, and we made a pact; you to become the shield to protect my champion and to save yourself from the darkness that turned you into a monster in human flesh. I had asked that you were to defy your fate but it seems that you already have done so the second you had awakened here in the mortal world. The second task is what I had told you in the beginning;"

"Once your memories were stripped from you for good they would be sealed away in here within this crystal replica of my throne, my seat of power. The memories will flow back within you but it is a test of will power to see if your are truly the same interloper who had survived the strike from the Heavens. But be warned, not even I will be able to tell if your true memories will return, there will be a great chance most of your memories will be replaced with something completely. Now, if you fail to re-inherit the jewels of you existence a powerful force from within shall claim your life. Now tell me, are you prepared child?"

The words of the woman was distant and faint but I could pretty much understand what I had to do to live. I don't remember anything but if this is what it takes to return what she claims is mine then,

"Yes! I hereby accept your terms and shall claim what is mine!" I shouted in both defiance and determination. The words flew freely from my lips it was fluent and very natural.

Etro, as the woman says to be her name, nods her head and then the crystal shatters into millions of tiny shards. The shards then stopped in place and then came charging my way, I couldn't move but I shouldn't I have to take back what's mine. When the shards were upon me they became a sphere around me and engulfed me in a small space.

My eyes were closed in fear at first but I opened them, I was in a dark world again with millions of voices and and so much moving images were flashing before my eyes, it was very loud and bright I couldn't interpret anything that was spoken or playing. My heart and mind was throbbing and crushed my being from the inside out, I heard a loud screeching sound over the many voices and looked above me to see a terrifying creature.

It was a humanoid figure with pale white skin and black scaled body of a dragon on all fours like a wolf staring at me with those starved red eyes of the fabled vampires. The claws looked dirty and stained with dried blood and it looked the same with its twin canines that reached down past the chin similar to the Saber Tooth's. I heard something clank loudly and found my Buster blade, I ran toward it and held it ready in both of my hands. I looked up to see the beast gone, looking and looking I couldn't find it but when I felt something humid breathing by my neck I looked behind me to find nothing. I turned all the way and then screamed in pain as blood flew from my right shoulder with three deep gashes there. The pain made my arm numb and I dropped my weapon then on my knees. My eyes were full of tears and I looked up through my blurry vision the monster was right in front of me, I felt myself become still and held my breathe to see this thing had my face!

"What are you!?" I cried at it in horror, surprised and shocked and disgusted that this thing could talk but in a very growling and dark voice.

"I am you! The demon you birthed into your heart from the day you were freed... I am here to kill you!" Sweet and simple the beast pounces onto me and sank its fangs deep into my left shoulder, pain erupts from where it punctured me and I screamed horribly loud.

"AAAAAUGH!" Blood poured out profusely and glistened from the lights from the scenes that played before us. The monster then jerks its head back and tears flesh from my bones I think my muscles were exposed. The action is making me lose a lot of blood and I feel very sick and in pain, I cry but nothing comes out... Blood shoots from my mouth as it turns to a river from my pale lips. The creature sits on me keeping me pinned down and diggs its filthy claws into my stomach, it keeps beating on me and tearing me apart I no longer feel anything.

'I can't fight back, I feel too weak and weary... I want to go to sleep...' I thought to myself as I began to close my eyes.

* * *

I start to feel dizzy and featherweight as I am gliding through this dark realm with dim grey lights surrounding me in a weird crescent shape. I looked at each of the lights and a voice rang out.

"Don't give up..." It said softly. I looked to my right to see two kids around my age. One was a girl with orange pink hair tied in two pig tails with green eyes and a cheery face. She wore strange tribal clothing and had on way too many jewelry. The other was a boy with short silver hair and had nice light blue green eyes in a yellow and orange over shirt and olive colored cargos, the girl spoke to me first so then the boy picks up.

"You told us not to give into the darkness, so why should we let you?" The boy says to me softly. These two figures were on my left then more figures appeared and finished the crescent of bodies.

"You can't die, no hero ever dies! No matter what they press on." A really tall blond guys says next to the boy.

"If you die on us again kid I'm going to come over to the other world and bring your butt back to your body and beat you up until you die again and again!" Threatened a woman wearing blue tribal clothes with forest green eyes and a lance in her hands.

"The kids all look out for each other, why not help an old man out to deal with them and the baddies?" A fairly dark skinned man in green uniform says aloud. Next was a woman with pink hair in a sort of military uniform, she looked like she was cold and distant but her eyes told another story.

"Your sister and your friends need you, Mel. You made me and Hope and Vanille, everyone a promise. And you even swore that you'd fulfill it. Come, let's make the impossible possible!" The woman holds out her hand and I reach out for it, when I felt our hands touch the group becomes wisps of blue fire and entered through me. Memories of them entered and touched my mind, good and bad and tragic and happy memories played ad everything was great. The woman in pink stood in front of the group and shouted in defiance to a large mechanical beast,

"We control our own fate! We don't need a Fal'cie to tell us what to do!"

I thought about it and felt renewed, flames of red fire surround me and heals my wounds that when my eyes shoot open fire engulfs me but only burns the creature off of me. It howled and roared as the flames scorched its iron like hide, it gave me a deadly glare but I didn't back off. I stood low with my arms raised and my hands clenched tightly into fists, the mirrored demon stood on all four and we dashed madly in a split second. Claws and fangs whips passed me and grazes my clothes, fire flew from my body and burned the beast leaving it flaming scars and burns. The second I blinked this thing grabbed me by the throat and lifts me off the ground, its claws were sinking into my flesh I couldn't even let out a whimper.

"This is your downfall! Die with the cause that you sought after since the journey of yours began! In the end your heart shall merge along mine in the shadows for eternity!" It said, as its talons sank deeper into my neck I felt, not only pain, everything flowing into me. Pain, hurt, love, joy, paranoia, etc. everything was coming back to me but it hurt so bad the pain that I felt before paled greatly in comparison my eyes stung and tears fell, my throat was burning and my body was feeling compressed in a little tiny box I felt claustrophobic. The more images came flowing into me the more I understood about myself and everyone I had met, this was my greatest challenge to over come the darkness that I gave birth to into my heart, now I'm going to force it to submit to me.

With all the strength I had I grabbed the monsters wrist and squeezed with all my might, the more power I put into it the more I felt the bone and muscle close in, fear struck cold in its demonic eyes and I gave it one last squeeze and the bone snapped in half and blood oozes out from where the broken bone had punctured the vien in the wrist. I looked deeply into its eyes and said to it calmly, for a strange reason I felt cool and collected, but in a split second my collective nature changes to hostility.

"This is my life! My memories and most of all: MY HEART! I won't let you win! I will never succumb to the darkness!" I said these words like I rehearsed them for a play.

Almost as if those were the magic words the fire that burst from my being returns and entirely engulfs the demon of my heart in flames, I heard its bloodcurdling scream and wails that once the flames diminished it laid there as ash black and dead.

I sat down and let out a sigh of relief, everything was mine once more and I defeated the guardian that kept it away from me; myself. The demon that Claire described was the way I acted and became that every time something happened I would let instincts take over, it was me all along and it was myself that held me back. But those lives I took would not come back alive, I just have to find a way to help the dead find peace for their deaths because I know I am responsible.

"It seems like you were able to win, as promised your memories have returned but remember our deal now, Interloper." I looked upwards and saw that Etro appeared into this realm says to me. I nod and finally have accepted her terms willingly. The Goddess nods politely and continues,

"Here, as a reward for completing the tasks before you this blade shall aid you in battle and somewhere in life." A bright alabaster white light appears from Etros hand and as I took it into my hands my vision is engulfed in the light and everything turns black once more.

"Go, Interloper, become the arrow to guide the lost to sanctuary. And redeem yourself of the past conflicts you endured."

* * *

As I open my eyes it seems that I was still falling from the sky and that Hope and Vanille were a few feet above me. My arm sparks to life and I felt the pain in my back begin to grow and wings of grey grew from my back and I was able to use them to my advantage. Guessing on how to use them I spread my arms and legs apart and get blown back into the air, minutes away from the two I flap my wings in a similar fashion and Raines and swiftly grabbed the two by their wrists. I looked behind me to see Bahamut and when the eidolon caught up Fang and Snow brought Hope and Vanille onto the monsters back. I looked and saw my sister sitting beside the old pilot on Bahamuts back and smiled, I flew beside Bahamut and then I heard Fang something as if announcing things to us new comers.

"Welcome! To Gran Pulse." And we flew directly, by following the wind, towards the path the suns rays had shown us to Vallis Media.

We soon landed about half an hour later and set up camp to the crash site where our airship crashed landed. While setting up camp everyone was given a responsibility so we were out into groups; Snow and Fang went to go hunting, Vanille went to find medicinal herbs and Sahz went along with the red head for fire wood, Brandon and Lily and Claire were helping Lightning with camp and grabbing whatever there was on board the ship so it was just me and Hope with the Chocobo chick. There was a path that was moving away from the airship so we followed it, as far as any predators it was very quiet and peaceful. Hope and the chocobo were ahead of me so I had to run to keep up with the two, as I looked around our surroundings I swore that I would see Hope either staring at me or probably looking past me I couldn't tell.

"Something on your mind, Hope?" I asked the teen as we continued walking. Hope remains quiet until we both hear the sound of a waterfall just up ahead and when we found it there were several trees with edible looking fruit at the top beside the leaves. I pulled out several canteens and put it into the cold water and closed the cap for ever canister I had been able to carry. Hope and the chocobo start hitting the trunk of the tree and a few fruits fell and he catches it, he didn't even answer my question. I tried to brush of the feeli g of the cold shoulder but it sort of bugged me but I just finished up doing What I was doing.

"It's not that I'm ignoring you on purpose but I thought you forgot about all of us, Mel. But it seems that you remember, huh?" The silver haired teen asks me. I look at him on,y to see his back facing me so I responded.

"Of course I didn't forget about you guys, your all apart of mine and Claire's family now. And trust me I wouldn't forget about family, unless I haven't seen them in a long time but I'll eventually remember who that is because of the face. Not only that I was given a second chance... I remember because what was going on with me was supposed to test me to see if I could overcome myself and the evil I held for so long. I sort of blamed Claire for not saving me so I had to save myself, but never blame anyone if they didn't know or weren't involved. Wait, was I meant to say that? I forget..." I say to the boy who slowly smiles and catches more fruit the chocobo hit down.

"That's good right? When things seem bad you just find a way to overcome it and continue on. Yeah... That's a great way to see it." With that said he is silent once again. I smiled and turned back to the stream, I splashed water on my face and drank some from the stream because it felt humid at the moment. The second I picked the canteens up and into my backpack I hear a thud and the chocobo chick is chirping in a panicked way. I turned around and see Hope fell over and his eyes were closed. I ran over to him and tried to shake him awake but he doesn't respond.

"Hope? Hope! Hope, wake up!" I cried frantically. I pulled out my Com. Unit only to find it broken beyond repair, I cursed under my breath and start to use cure on the boy.

"Chocobo get help for the others, please!" I plead to the bird that chirps in agreement and flies off back to base camp. For some reason I can't carry Hope, my limbs feel tired and all I can do is heal him so he won't fall in some sort of phase I won't know how to deal with. I casted cure then curaja and finally curasa with curaga, I feel afraid right now but I know that it is because he somehow lost his way and that Alexander is about to appear. I remain by his side until someone came, Snow carried Hope again on his back and we all returned back to camp as the sun slowly begins to descend.

'Please be alright, little brother...'

* * *

A/N:

Okay this chapter is finally done, so what ya all think of this chapter? Is the story going good, okay, bad or whatever for you guys? If there is something unclear or something see,s off and you need more clarification please let me know. I will try to fix the errors I made and put the story right, but anyways their in Gran Pulse! What will this foreign land to the newcomers from the nest of vipers have in store for them? Please leave a review, comment, question, etc. (Flames might be ignored starting right now, so yeah...) and I'll see what I can do. Alrighty then, until next time. Ciao!


	19. Alexander, with a story!

A/N: hey everybody once again this is AeonLegacy coming to you live at the Viewing Box( man I must sound like those sports announcers or something...). Anyway joining me here today, by choice, is the self proclaimed and warm hearted man of ice; Snow Villiers!

(Audience claps both politely and enthusiastically.)

Snow: Hey, what do you mean 'self proclaimed hero',huh? I am a hero, I'm going to go help to save Cocoon and free the people from the false rule of the Fal'cie.

AeonLegacy: Alright, alright. Whatever floats your boat, Snow. Anyway it says from your request that you have something you wanted to ask me right?

Snow: That's right. See, I've been having these awfully strange feelings lately and no matter what I do it just won't go away. And I try and tell the others about it and they all shrug me off and tell me to go sit in the corner! I don't like that man...

AeonLegacy: Uhh... Snow? Did you already forget that you did disturb everyone from doing their given responsibilities. For example: Brandon got a black eye and bruised ribs because you accidentally startled Lily who had a log in her hands and Brandon was the closest person to her.

Snow: I was just asking her something...

AeonLegacy: Did that involve making a mask and popping out of the shadows behind the poor girl? The glow of the fire casting menacingly hollow glare to peer into her heart and strike fear into her soul?

Snow:...

AeonLegacy: And that time when Sahz was starting to make the fire with all the wood you collected that when you stood behind him and you sneezed you knocked him into the fire and he nearly suffered from maybe third degree burns on his arms and chest?

Snow:... I was...

AeonLegacy: Yeah, maybe you should be very careful, otherwise Fang will deal with you herself remember?

Snow:! Please don't bring that up! But anyway enough about my mistakes I think we all can see your point! Can we just skip the questions and answers and get back to the story?

AeonLegacy: Okay, jeez. I was only messing around you know? Like he said, lets start the story. Enjoy!

PS: for forgetting to write this in every chapter Disclaimer: I do not own anything of final fantasy 13 only my OC's and the main characters an maybe even minor characters OOCness attitudes and personalities.

* * *

My POV:

The chocobo chick was chirping frantically bouncing up and down lightly on Hopes chest as if it would wake him up. I stared at his pale face with worry, concern and fear playing with my heart. I mean he just suddenly collapsed! I don't know what to do, but I do know what this means...

"Mel!" I looked up to the voice who called my name and saw Vanille along with Fang, Snow, Sahz, Present Lightning and Champion Lightning made a half circle around us. Vanille, being the best medic, came up to me and skid on her legs in hurry to kneel beside Hope. She examined him closely as she checked his forehead for a fever, felt his wrist to check his pulse and put her ear near his mouth to check his breathing as she had explained while checking him.

"What happened?!" Light asked me from behind the red head with worry worn in her striking cerulean eyes. I look up at her speechless, I wasn't sure how to explain this but I just have to tell them.

My silence just seemed to have made tension rise but everyone looked as calm as possible. The sun began to bathe the world around us in a orange pink glow telling us that night would befall us soon and if we don't get back to base camp, and by the sound of all the growling and hissing, the creatures that lurk in the dark will surely come and reap their prey.

"We need to get back to camp, we can't stay here out in the open to help the kid if we get in a tight spot!" Sahz says trying to break the silence as he tries to make his point. Everyone looks at each other and agrees.

Snow comes up to the unconscious Hope and carries the boy on his back, everyone else grabs the supplies we were sent to collect and headed back down the path of the Vallis Media. I stood to my feet and my eyes seemed to only see black, grey and white, everyones movements seemed to have slowed down until they were barely moving at all. Just as Sahz and Fang were about to turn out of sight due to the rocky walls a golden light appears from the wall in front of Snow, who looks oblivious to its existence, and out of the portal came the Goddess Etro herself.

"Etro..." I said softly. The Goddess in human form smiles and nods.

"Hello once more, Shield. I have very little time so I shall try to be brief." She says in a slight hurry. I look into her divine eyes and opened my ears to listen intently.

"As the strength from within the L'cie rise, no matter if things seem bleak before them, do not interfere." Etro says sternly, she is serious this time. But then again, when was she never serious?

"Is it because they won't be able to overcome the things keeping them from moving on because I keep getting in the way?" I ask nonchalantly feeling already certain the answer is a definite yes.

"Apparently you are more clever than you seem. But yes, your meddling is what keeps these L'cie from learning their truth and finding their inner strength. I understand that things went right when you 'butted in' as you mortals would put it but that won't help these people whom you have grown close to to become stronger to defeat your greatest adversary."

I lower my gaze to the ground in shame, I was just trying to help... I didn't mean to make things bad to worse. I felt a soft but firm hand on my lower jaw and gently pulled it up and we saw eye to eye, Etro looked like she was using her eyes to search deep into my soul and it made it seem like daggers were running through me than her lingering stare.

"I must leave, you and your Eidolon shall not interfere. Do you understand?" She asks me once more, all I could do was nod numbly. Smiling in satisfaction Etro lets go of my jaw and walks back to the light, just as she was nearly there to returning it just hit me; My Eidolon? My Eidolon never presented itself to me! Does this mean that...?

"Is my Eidolon supposed to be the Champion Lightning?!" I cried at the Goddess before she stepped into the light. She stops by the light as far as I could see, turns around, and smiles.

"Of course, she is a 'summoned being' from another world. She is not the same as the soon to be Champion that I shall call to become my Protector, it is obvious that when she couldn't unlock or use her powers to summon creatures to her beck and call she would be in pain and collapse from strain. It is the reason she can't awaken her full potential. Also, the things she spoke of and left unspoken were merely implanted memories I created for her, just so she does't find out who she truly serves until after the battle. But enough I shall return back to Valhalla, goodbye for now..." With that said Etro steps into the light and vanishes, as she disappeared time picked up and everyone was still rushing back to base camp. I pulled my backpack over my shoulders and hurried after the group.

* * *

Night fell upon us and ruled the sky in place of the sun with the stars twinkling above overhead. Snow had laid Hope on top of some salvaged blanket near the face of the towering walls of nature near the fire. Vanille sat beside him watching over him in case something would happen and his health would withdraw terribly. Snow sat across from the pair while everyone took their spots around the fires, it was a really cold night and very quiet but I cannot be in that area I just can't interfere like I promised Etro. What I did was walked all the way up to the airship and climbed it, I used much of the broken metal as support and a ladder making my way up to the top. When I reached the engine I jumped up on top of the peak of the earthy walls and sat on it to gaze at the moon. I laid on my back so I could be out of sight, when I was comfortable the silence was broken.

"So this is how it ends?" Snow asks in a bitter and angry voice.

"Just wait. How long has it been since we left Cocoon? Hmm? Not a single soul for miles around. Not a single clue to this whole L'cie mess. What I'm saying is, we did well just getting this far." Sahz replies to Snow in an equally upset tone but quiets down a bit after his last sentence. Then soft stead footsteps were walking across the dirt, I think it was Vanille walking and to confirm it she spoke through the silence.

"But... We could go a little further."

"Meaning?" Sahz asks her in a patient tone. There was a slight pause then she answers.

"There is one place..."

"Vanille!" Fangs sharp voice cut Vanille off as quickly as a knife can cut butter. But instead of a harsh tone Fang asked in a concerned voice,

"Are you sure?" Then another small pause.

"I'm sure." The red head head from below sounding quiet but absolute about her choice.

"You know, if we don't find anything this time, we won't get another chance." This time Lightning spoke sounding a little strict but worried, maybe not for herself but for everyone else, about the task ahead of them. Claire and Brandon and Lily were all silent, maybe they went to sleep, but the Champion Lightning sat beside me looking troubled but listened to the conversation with me. I could hear the clinks and clanks of her armor clashing together as she moved.

"Oerba- the place it all began." Hope said but his voice was faint from where I was, everyone rushed over to him to check on him then I listened and he continued.

"The place where the Pulse Fal'cie lay dreaming. Vanille and Fangs home. Just maybe... It could just be the place where we find the answers we're looking for."

"Your right. If, we can get there." Fang says already doubting their quest before it began. Hope lightly chuckles and says,

"Go on without me."

"But we can't just leave you." Vanille says in protest.

"I'll be fine. You've all taught me so much-showed me how to fight."

"What I'd tell ya? Leave the fighting to me." Snow tells to the young boy in a soft tone, the tones grown ups use to comfort a frightened child.

"I'm scared." Hope says as his voice trembles.

"We understand. You're not gonna go through this ordeal alone, you know?" Lightning says comfortingly to him, trying to keep his fear at bay.

"But that's what scares me! I don't want to see you hurt because of me! It would be better for everyone if I just stayed behind!" Soon I hear everyone either grunting in shock or in surprise. I look behind me and see four thin pillars of yellow green light shoot up into the sky. I see the glimmer of moonlight bounce off of my supposed Eidolons blade but I placed a hand on hers and she looks to me with shock.

"We shouldn't interfere." I tell her calmly.

"I can't stand here and watch them get hurt!" She says in protest. I look into her eyes and I understand but we can't keep Light and the others from unlocking their true strength with meddlesome outsiders getting in their way. I just shook my head to her.

"No... We meddled enough. Lets take a break and let them handle it alone, its their strength we can't keep it from them any longer..." my voice seemed like it was smaller and softer than a whisper. Lightning looks at me dead in the eye and lowers her gaze and weapon in defeat. Though she didn't push my hand off of hers that rested on the hilt of her weapon she strapped onto her hip, instead her protected leather and metal left hand brushed against the back of my own hand and somehow rested there, looked onto the scene that played out before us.

* * *

Fight Engaged:

Alexander had appeared from the large crack from the earth it made as it was being summoned. The Eidolon was a very massive being that stood to the height of a nearly completed fortress, it was adorned in gold and silver and dark purple and white with spikes near its head and made the rock faces seem non-existent compared to its size. The second it stood there before the party its glowing pale white eyes rested on Hope, it waved its arm slowly and casted the spell DOOM on the poor boy that the second it was casted he screamed in pain and collapsed the same way Fang had fell and his body moved and twitched in painful ways it seemed almost like his limbs had no bones. Vanille was closest to him and casted curaga to ease the pain he felt, meanwhile Lightning and Fang stood before the towering beast and started to attack. Sahz and Snow were knocked aside into the face of the earthy walls that surrounded them, rocks and dirt fell as the vibrations travelled far and deep into the mountain like hill that the force sent the two more than several miles in the hills, Alexander had no sympathy for the L'cie he wounded or possibly killed.

Lightning raised her gunblade, HautClaire, and slashed sideways at its legs barely making a scratch. The sound of metal erupts from contact but the Eidolon doesn't even take notice to the ant carving at his armored skin. Fang on the other hand caught Alexanders attention by turning into her Sentinel role and used 'Challenge'. The Eidolons eyes flashed dark red and points its fist at the Huntress, Fang just uses Steelguard and Mediguard at the same time waiting to be attacked. Hope, being healed right after, gets up to his feet and casts Protect, Shell, haste, vigilance, bravery and faith around him, Vanille, Lightning and Fang then joined in the fight. Alexander sees that its target has joined the battle and points its arm, that looks ready to shoot with sparks of orange and bright yellow flying from where the hand and wrist connects. Then in a split second Alexanders hand shoots off its wrist like a cannon ball with a dangerously loud bang and slams right into Hope. Fang and Light reacts almost a mini-second late but manages to catch the flying projectile with their respective weapons. It seems that the rocket is still advancing as both women's feet start to dig deep into the earth due to the extreme force pushing down on them and are being pushed back with their heels and feet stuck as they are being forced backwards unable to retaliate, they both let out grunts of forceful breathing and trying to use their combined strength to push back but were unable to do so. Hope sees this but Vanille goes to their aid in his place. Now it was just the Eidolon with the extremely small boy, along with Mel and her summoned being Lightning staring at the two with expressionless eyes. Hope wanted to call up to the duo to help him but when the glow from the fire could be seen in those neutral brown eyes of his friend there was something in them that made him realize their actions; Faith and Hope itself. They couldn't aid him but knowing that if he could get through this trial before him everything shall be over and he would unlock his true strength like everyone else, save for Vanille.

"Go get 'em..." Was all Mel had mouthed to the silver haired boy who makes eye contact and nods firmly in response. His eyes flared with the orange red glow of the camp fires and stared deeply into Alexander's eyes.

"I won't lose to you..." He says softly, under his breath.

"This is my power, and you won't stand in my way anymore!" His voice picks up power and booms with anger and security.

Alexander stares at the little boy and lowers his good right arm. It's arm is put across its chest reaching for the left side of its body then digs its fingers into the ground. Hope watches and stands ready in case something happens, when Alexander stops digging its fingers into the earth and swings strongly upward that the dirt it held brought up boulders the size of tracker tires. Hope is shrouded over shadows and sees the rocks are propelling toward him too quickly though he doesn't have much time to turn and run he stands firmly and casts all his third tier spells.

"Firaga! Thundaga! Wateraga! Aeroga!" all towards the boulder that headed straight for him, while the others rained passed over his head by many meters. The fire spell hits the rock with great force the spell made contact and a huge fiery blaze came about engulfed the stone in flames. Then came the sparks of electricity, they came flashing down from the heavens and in a very large attack many streams of yellow crackled and made more cracks and dents in the stone. Closer and closer it continued to come, though it was weakened, it was still large enough to flatten the boy upon impact. The water spell then made swishing and crashing noises as if the water was the ocean crashing gently on the sandy shore pulling and pushing the current along with the breeze, the spell was sent flying and hit the boulder right on the bottom left where most of the cracks drew and maybe just maybe with one more strike it would cut in half. As the wind spell was conjured from his palm the attack didn't connect as the boulder was smashed to pieces as a massive hand thrusted itself through the stone and reached out to the young boy. Hope is taken aback by this but he runs, shuffles his feet mostly, to the left as quick as his legs could carry him and barely missed being crushed but survived. The impact from Alexanders hand created a large crater from its fist it sent wind and debris in a mile radius flying around like a dirty shower of rain. The impact sent the boy flying off his feet and he crashed into the misplaced metal like arch, that Lightning leaned on earlier, and hit his right leg then he landed crookedly onto his back. He gasped desperately for air as it was knocked out of him, tears flowed painfully down his eyes as he peered to his twisted leg that pointed to the other way than straight, blood oozed from a long jagged cut the rusty metal made from connecting and it not only ripped his skin but his capri like jeans were torn up to his knee cap where the cut ended. Hope tries to cast curaja or curaga but the pain from his leg was too great that he was more focused on it than healing himself. Alexander stood towering over the boy as the shadows engulfed him, the pain from the doom spell and the pain in his leg left him too weak to do something in order for him to survive, soon something propelled through the air and came back was Alexander's launched fist with small blood stains on the knuckles. Hope, Mel and Champion Lights eyes all widened in horror, blood stained that massive hand but it was hard to tell if it was just a small stain or a rather large stain.

"HOPE!" Mel cried from the top trying to break free from Champion Lights strong grip who was pulling her down to the ground and pinning her from moving by using her hands. Her body and armor weight aided her in keeping the girl planted to the ground.

"Stay down! And just wait, if things turn really grim we will have no choice but to intervene." She says calmly but grunts between words as she struggles to keep Mel from freeing herself to aid the boy.

"Things are already grim! Look! Hope is bleeding bad with a freaking huge ass Eidolon towering over him, Lightning and Fang and maybe even Vanille are too far back to join the fight! Sahz and Snow are probably out cold and pretty far down deep in that rock over there! So why should you tell me to wait!? Your my Eidolon! You should listen to me!? It's not the other way around!" Mel cried out in fury at the woman who looked stoic on her face but just as bewildered in her eyes as the girl. Though she struggles and thrashes harder to save her friend the pinknette just was too stubborn to let go. Mel's eyes wandered and landed upon the silver haired teen who just stares back at her with fear and pain twisting together in his eyes, though she made a promise to not interfere she can't watch her friends die anymore than the next guy.

Hope looks around for anything but only finds his boomerang, his default one, a few feet from him. He turns his body over until he is on his stomach and slowly crawls toward his respective weapon, the large Eidolon remains stone still but its eyes watches his every move. When his boomerang was in hand Hope fired Firaga and Thundaga at the summoned being but it had little effect on it, again the pain and fear twist within him but when he thought back to what Ven told Fang back at the Fifth Arc where the Summoned being Bahamut appeared before the pulsian Huntress he remembered that they appear when L'cie have lost their way and he realized that he lost his path when he wanted to give up!

"Now, I know." He began with realization forming in his eyes. He turns his body around until he is laying on his back with his elbows digging into the dirt for support.

"I get it now! The only reason your here is because I wanted to give up and die!" He shouted toward the Eidolon that stares back at him blankly. Then before he could finish a Large blue and white beam flashed from the skies and slammed right into Alexander that sends the being off balance but quickly recovers.

"Come on, boy, say it! Say it loud enough that even Lady Luck can hear ya!" A voice cried from above. The trio that was there looked skyward, even Alexander, to see a metallic creature black as night with three people standing upon its fierce back.

"You guys!" Hope cried in joy to see that Fang and Light and Vanille were okay but they looked beaten up with cuts and bruises all over them and most of their clothes were almost tattered with little blood stains on them but they were a sight for sore eyes, they truly were.

"Oh my glob! I thought you guys were dead!?" Mel cried to the three women in the sky.

"We would have been if not for a wandering Behemoth! We were able to get free thanks to Vanille and the fist crashed into a King Behemoth, if it wasn't for that that thing would have kept coming and crushed us to sand! But we will tell the story later for another time!" Fang replies back to the interloper. Though her eyes and face turn to curiosity she just had to ask,

"What the hell are you doing!? Something happen while we were gone?!" Mel looks confused at first until she remembers that her 'Eidolon' is still on her, keeping her pinned to the ground using her weight. Though nobody could see her face was flushed and then burned scarlet red a new found strength came to her and she was able to shake Champion Light off of her until she could sit up all the way with the second pink haired woman kneeling beside her with her weapon ready to be drawn.

"Don't you dare answer her..." Mel tells champion Light in embarrassment, then she quickly turns to Fang and the other two and cries,

"None of your business! I couldn't fight with you guys and **she **wouldn't let me help! I'll tell you guys what happened later!" All Fang could do was smirk and she turned her attention to Vanille and both of the pulse women looked over at the pink hair SOLDIER girl.

"What are you two looking at!? Pay attention to the fight at hand!" Light scolded the two who just laughed amongst themselves seeing that this Lightning was a bit distracted at the time. But then the situation became tense once more as Alexander lets out a loud bellowing call and raises its fists above its head and tries to hit Bahamut but flies out of the way but is knocked away for a bit from the strong gust of wind that was made from the slow but powerful swing.

"Here, Hope!" Vanille cried out to the boy and casted all of her healing spells at the boy, the glowing green lights flowed through the air and flowed directly into the boy healing his pain and was able to heal his large cut on his leg but though it looked healed too much pressure would surly reopen the red mark. Hope then once more made a stand as he stood to his feet the best he could with his healed straight leg than a crooked one, he examined Alexander and saw that there was a crack, a very large and visible one on its back from when it staggered from the blue white beam attack and crashed into the rocks before it recovered. If he could hit that he might have a chance in winning.

"Fang! Try and get it to focus on you guys! I might be able to beat this thing!" Hope cries toward the huntress. Fang smiles and kneels more on Bahamuts head.

"One diversion coming up! Whoo!" Fang then taps Bahamuts head with her lance and it got ready to attack, multiple rays of blue shot at the towering being with rockets and claws exploding and scratching at the armored skin. This cycle was repeated and Alexander was more focused on the flying pest then the boy. When it finally turned around and its back was to Hope he conjured all of his third tier spells in his hands, all the elemental spells at his disposal were charging up into a large crackling and swishing and blazing and swirling large but unstable spell all in one. With all his strength and concentration Hope aimed at the crack with his unstable spell and it connected with the Eidolon that the spell engulfed the being in a water, fire, thunder and wind spell that not only was it trapped it was surrounded by the light it created to be here in the mortal plane and it turned into a light yellow green crystal and gently fell into Hopes hand. Soon he was able to finish his sentence from before he was interrupted.

"I was afraid of not knowing what to do when everything went bad or when our focus was more further away than ever but you showed me that I can't give up... Thanks to you, Alexander..." And a smile came and formed on his lips. When Bahamut returned to its crystal state Vanille ran up to Hope and hugged him in joy and relief, he does the same in return, then Mel and Champion Light climbed down from the rocks to join the four, Hope and Mel made eye contact but Hope raised his right hand to the androgynous girl who stares at it and takes it in hers.

"I'm not mad at you that you two didn't help me, but if you didn't stay on the sidelines I don't think I would have realized what made me afraid of continuing. So thanks." He tells Mel and Champion Light who just smiles in turn.

"Oh! We have to get Sahz and Snow!" Vanille cried and runs toward the large hole in the miniature mountain that was near the road to the waterfall. When she got close a hand shot out of the dark and reached for the rocky door, when the hand turned into a body it was Sahz who came out first then Snow, both men looked really hurt as blood stained their clothes and ran from their mouths, they looked almost like the other four with their tattered clothes.

"Sorry... We took so long... The thing hit us so far deep it took us more than a few hours to get back here..." Snow explains to the rest of the party.

"We would have... Been back here sooner... But this kids... Eidolon that can turn into an icy motorcycle crashed and burned because their user was too beat up to keep control over them..." Sahz tells the party his end of the story. The party shares a small laugh then they heard someone yawning to see the red head girl, Lily, was waking up. She got up to her feet and rubbed her eyes from sleep and sat in front of the party by the center fire. Her eyes were still closed but she felt a presence beside her so she looked through her eyes that were open little slits then turned her attention back to the fire. She looked at the group once more then her eyes widen in shock and surprise that she stood and jumped to her feet.

"Whoa! What happened to you guys!?" She practically shouts to the six L'cie who were all beaten up and tattered. They all chuckled and grinned at the girl but none of them answered. Instead SOLDIER Lightning moved her way towards Mel and whispered softly into her ear,

"Man your friends are such deep sleepers they slept through all that noise..." Light says, her voice had a hint of surprise as she spoke.

"Yeah this happens all the time... When they feel overwhelmed they won't wake up to anything..." Mel whispers in turn. Then Mel catches sight of Fang smirking in a teasing manner and this agitates the interloper.

"What you smirking at Fang!?"

"Nothing, nothing at all!" The huntress says defensively as she raises both of her hands above her head in a stretch then back down beside her sides. Mel isn't convinced but drops the conversation with a 'whatever' and goes back to where she watched the fight with her backpack and makes her own security camp up there. Everyone just goes and takes care of their injuries then they all go to their spots so they can rest.

* * *

Everyone gathered around the fire after their injuries were taken cared of by being cleaned and properly dressed, luckily the group grabbed some new clothes from Palumpolum otherwise they would have been exposed while Vanille and Claire winters were repairing everyone's clothing. It was a cold evening even with the fires lite all around the group so they wore long pants and long sleeved jackets or shirts that shared the colors of their original clothing. It was quiet for a time and everyone was wide awake so it made it harder for everyone to fall asleep even after the fight. Snow was looking at the sky and spots Champion Light staring at Mel who is walking back and forth keeping watch over the perimeter.

"What up, Light?" He asked, both Lightning looks his way but the blond man points to the Lightning in Etro's armor.

"It's nothing, I was just thinking..." She responders softly. Snow got curious and pressed on.

"Thinking 'bout what?"

"Snow!" Lightning snaps at him sharply but her armored self stops her.

" I was thinking about what Mel told me... She said that,"You are my Eidolon. You should listen to me, it's not the other way around... Maybe that's why I can't do the same things as the present me, I am not even human but an Eidolon... A strange Eidolon that took form of you Lightning." She says to the group with her head and eyes casted down. Claire looks up at her sister and calls her over.

"Mel! Come here for a second! I need you to do something for me, please!" Mel turns around and jumps down back to the camp and jogs over to her sister.

"What ya need, sis?" She asks a bit concerned.

"Remember that story you made up when you were younger of a hero having doubts of deciding to follow their orders or their heart? Could you tell it?"

"What?! That story? Claire that was when I was ten! I doubt I can remember the words..." Mel says unsure. Claire looks at her sister with puppy dog eyes with false tears about to shed and begged in a childish tone Mel thought only Vanile would do if she wanted something. A cold guilt ran down the sixteen year olds spine at this sight and succumbed to her sisters plea and nods in agreement. Claire cheered silently to herself and taps the blanket beside her a few times and Mel sits beside her sister.

"Why do you want to hear this story anyways, Claire?" Mel asks her older sister, curious. Claire shrugs her shoulders and says,

"Because I like the way you tell the story, you always made the story come to life like those characters from the books you read to me before when I was in the hospital, 'Inkheart' trilogy. Where the story and characters are far more real when deprived from their own world..." Then Claire remained silent and looked almost expertly patient for the story to begin. Mel raised her eyebrows and looked at everyone else.

"Do you guys wanna hear it too? If not I can tell it later and I can go back to guard duty?" Nobody in the group disagreed and also waited to hear the story. Sighing in defeat Mel began the story.

"Alright, lets see how this went again... Okay, aeons ago while the worlds were controlled by the spiritual beings beyond the veil the mortals served these deities greatly. A lone Hero had served a deity of war and had carried out every command his superior told him ignorant to what happened around him. There was a time when the hero fell in love a merchants only daughter from the neighboring kingdom that was the enemy of his superior, he was ordered to assassinate the King, the Deity of kindness, of that kingdom and to let the troops of his master into that city. Torn by his love and orders he went and sought out the girl he loved near the quay of the Deities castle.

'Knight, why do look so pale?' The girl asked the hero in disguise of a palace Soldier. The hero swallowed his fear and came clean with the girl so he could at least clear his guilty mind plagued with the images of death and blood of the innocents he slain. He removed his helm and spoke in a trembling and guilty voice.

'A knight I am not, I am the hero from the war god. Sent here to assassinate your King... I was to murder him and allow our soldiers in to kill the innocents here in this kingdom but I can't let that happen...' Tears fell from his pale eyes and his hands trembled.

'I took too much lives long before they began and long before they could have a peaceful end, I thought I could come clean so you would know... I can't stand to see you lying dead among the slain... My heart aches for you and your people but it hurts from betraying the loyalty I hold to my superior...' The girl stood there horrified but believes the man spoke the truth, the truth she had was she despised the neighboring kingdom and the hero greatly but since they met everything changed. She took the heroes hands in hers and in them a locket.

'To find me when we lie dead in the next life!' And she ran toward the square. The hero held the locket and tied it around his neck and went after the Deity. As the doors boomed open the palace knights dragged the hero before the Kind king and shouted to the king,

"The assassin from War!' Cried the knight. The king looks at the hero with a king look and sent the knights back to their posts.

'I understand that my brother wants the death of me but I, too, am deathless... Slay me if you will I cannot die..' Said the king. He stands from his throne and places a gentle hand on the heros shoulder.

'I forgive you mortal, I am the deity of kindness and kindness I bestow upon you. Take this ring and return home, for the ring will guide you back to your love. Believe and you shall be rewarded.' The hero heeded the kings words and returned to his superior. Upon arrival the deity of war saw no proof the king was dead so death was to him. A blade of an axe raised and sew the heroes head off his neck but as the king said the ring would guide him and would reward him, the reward was forgiveness and he returned to the girl and she was rewarded for forgiveness no longer needed to live in this earthly realm and they were taken to paradise the kind man ruled. In the end he chose to follow his heart, defy his fate, for the one he loved and for the forgiveness of his sins.'

The group was quiet, save for Claire who fell asleep on Mel's lap while she told the story. Fresh tears fell slowly down her fair face with a small smile on her pink lips. Mel wiped the tears away and moved strands of her sisters hair from her face, the girl looked around to see everyone's expressions and they all seemed lost in thought thinking of something.

"Yeah I made that story a long time ago, its not the whole story so it does sound like our situation right now huh?" She asks the group.

"Ever thought of writing for a living?" Snow asks in awe from the story.

"I did when I was younger but lets get real here I need to do something that can help me survive in life but I can write on the side for fun." She responded to his question. The whole party was quiet, Brandon and Lily once again fell asleep, and they listened to the crickets chirping and low howls of the beasts on Gran Pulse.

"So where do we go first kid? Before we hit Oerba?" Sahz asks Mel since they all know she knows. She sighs once more and looks at everyone individually.

"We train using the C'ieth stones scattered around here. Because in Oerba there is someone waiting for us there. So our plan of action is to get stronger and much more faster, because not only is our enemies waiting the trials will only get harder and harder." Everyone agreed to this and looked at each other. Lightning stretches and gazes at the stars.

"For Serah, for Cocoon... We will become stronger to defy even the fates of time!"

* * *

A/N: Yah I'm done! Oh, yeah sorry for the small story I made in this chapter, I got kinda bored... So yeah, hopefully you guys liked this chapter, sorry for taking awhile.. Anyways as always please leave a comment, review, question, the same old same old as the other chapters. Lets hope that the next few or so chapters the party will not only get stronger physically and mentally by create a much more inseparable bond that can triumph over the evil spread throughout Cocoon and through the people. Until next time, Ciao!


	20. Training begins?

A/N: hello again everyone AeonLegacy here! Well today it seems a bit slow today since I am here in the viewing box alone but I am alright with that! Anyway a small recap of the previous chapter; Hope was on the verge of losing himself to his fear and thus came his Eidolon Alexander. Mel made a promise to not interfere with the L'cies battles with their summoned beings because it may keep them from their true strengths from awakening and Champion Lightning is really Mel's Eidolon that had took the form of Lightning. Not really sure how that works but I think it could be one of the previous Eidolons that could copycat anything but I'm not entirely sure. So anyway, one day in Gran Pulse has ended so let us see what the party has planned. Enjoy!

PS: to the guest under the username; Lost. The only reason why I have SOLDIER replace Lightnings Corp name 'Guardian' is because of Sahz, he called her SOLDIER in the very beginning of the game so it kind of stuck to me and I thought it fit better not because I was thinking of Final Fantasy VII I never played seven maybe I was young when it was released for the play station one. Hope that cleared something up. Plus to Atsirk Enoh: I am not pairing anyone I just was trying to make things funny just so you know when I read your review I wanted to let you know, okay? Okay!

Disclaimer: obviously don't own anything of final fantasy 13 but my OC characters and (sorry) for making the main protagonist and main antagonists for having OC attitudes and personalities.

* * *

Mel's POV:

"WHOO!HOOO!"

I watched Fang cheering as she glided in the air with Bahamut, a Wyvern she caught and named it after her Eidolon. She whooped and cheered as did Vanille who shouted beside the huntress on the winged beasts back. This marks as day two of our stay here on Gran Pulse but when I told them we should get to training with the C'ieth stones scattered around the whole place the two women from Pulse instantly forgot the second they woke up and decided to blow the rest of us off! Not that I could stay mad at Vanille but Fang, hell yeah! I swear I hate her when she teases me just because my Eidolon hangs around me all the time, I thought I was going to choke her this morning but I had to keep a cool head and make sure I get my revenge later on. The Ectopudding was our first target to dispose of as we encountered our first C'ieth stone just outside our base camp, but like I had said Fang and Vanille decided to take on a Amphisbaena than help the rest of us out, the nine of us made our way out through the Steppe trying our best to avoid any other battles with the Gorgonopsids, Behemoths, Flans, and whatever else roamed throughout these open wilds. Nobody knew how strong our first target would be so we had to be strong enough to take it head on not even me since it is very different from the game anyways. The late morning sun rose overhead and brought a little uncomfortable heat, sweat came down my temples but I had to ignore it and find our target. We all stopped near one of the small pools of water with those baby looking sheep, everyone splashed water on themselves and turned to me,

"So what does this 'Ectopudding' look like and how do we beat it?" Sahz asks first.

"Well it looks like a huge blue water like Flan that hangs around these pools, it is weak to electricity but absorbs water so be careful of any water spells. Oh, it is immune to physical attacks so use only your magic okay?" I say and everyone nods.

"Guess this mission is for the thunder lady huh?" Snow says aloud nudging Lightning with his elbow as he grins. Lightning casts her head down, her bangs covering her eyes, raises her hand and turns it into a fist and socks Snow in the face once more and sends him flying into the pool of water making a loud splash as he landed.

"That was real smooth boy, say something you thinks a complement you end up getting a fist to your jaw." Brandon tells Snow as he helps the blond man up to his feet and out of the pool. Snow rubs his jaw a few times and walks off a bit.

"Hissss!"

"What was that?" Hope asks to the sudden sound.

"Looks like we got our targets attention, right around the next pool. Look." Everyone looks past the rock face that protected us from being spotted to see the Ectopudding was just ahead of us, it was sloshing around moving back and forth almost like the military moving through their ranks. A few sheep were by it but it didn't seem bothered by them it seemed like it was enjoying its company.

"That's it? That our target?" Lily asks with her eyebrow raised.

"It doesn't seem too hostile. It seems rather docile." She says as her conclusion.

"Well for now its harmless but once we're in its field of vision it's kill or be killed." Eidolon Light says as she summons her gunblade out of thin air and charges straight towards it.

"What the hell?! You don't go and attack it like its a normal Flan! Your being reckless!" I called out to my Eidolon, yeah ever since this morning Eidolon Light isn't exactly the same as the original Lightning as I had believed in the first place: she may look like exactly like her but she is as optimistic as Snow, a little childish as Vanille, can be easily worried like Hope was in the beginning, a little laid back like Sahz, sort of head strong like Fang but overall she is just as foolhardy as Lightning. I grunted in annoyance to her actions and chased after her, the others followed after me as I could hear grass crunching under their feet and rocks skidding across the fields. The Ectopudding turns around as Eidolon Light cries out tauntingly at it and the flan cries out in anger.

* * *

Battle Engaged:

Everyone stood around the Ectopudding in a crescent shaped formation, weapons drawn and stood ready to attack or defend. The blue Flan had never been in a battle with so much enemies but it was ready to kill. The Flan swung its sticky elastic arms at the group quick as a whip at Snow, Hope, Lily and Brandon, the four dodges the attack but Lily get hit on her arm a small cut was made that blood trickles down from it. Brandon sees this and his eyes flash with fury, he brings his earth ax above his head and slams the curved blade into the ground. The earth begins to shake and pillars of earth shoot from the ground and pierces the Flan several times.

"Did I get it?!" Brandon cried as he sees the Flan being punctured with his Quake spell his weapon allowed him to do. As the pillars stopped the Flan broke free by destroying the pillars of rock with its whip like arms and sloshed out.

"Guess not!" He said as his earth magic didn't help.

"It's weak to electricity, Brandon! Not earth! Did you forget already?! Let me try!" Lily shouts to her friend. The red head brings her dark scythe above her head and rotates it in both of her hands, gradually picking up speed. The quicker it became the more you could see sparks forming from her weapon, dark storm clouds were being produced from above her and thunder could be heard from the clouds. Lightning, Snow, Hope, Sahz, Mel, Claire, and Eidolon Light hear the crash of thunder and turn to see Lily is summoning a storm.

"Everyone move aside!" She shouted the best she could over the sound of thunder and lightning. Everyone quickly moves but Hope who remains in front of the Ectopudding casting slow until he sees the debuffing spell taking its toll and runs as fast as he could out of the way. The flan sees its opponents have run from the fight but sees the red head girl conjuring magic of electricity, the feeling of dread and anger forms inside of it so it lashes its arms at the girl but the slow spell has caused it to move slower than a whip that its attack is moving like glue or freshly made wet cement drying up. Lily felt her attack is beginning to feel unstable that soon she wouldn't be able to control it she decides to twirl around a few times gracefully with her weapon being spun with her and releases the crackly electric scythe at the flan at a quick speed like a giant shuriken(ninja star). The slow spell finally releases the Ectopudding from its clutches though before it had a chance to evade the attack the scythe struck the flan right in the center of its chest and engulfs it in electricity, sparks covered every inch of the flan until there was nothing of its blue color to be seen. The electricity kept zapping as the flan kept shrieking in pain and slowly it starts to melt until there was nothing left, not even a speck of ooz. The red head ran over to where the flan once was and picks her weapon up off the ground and straps it on her back, the others went over to join her and even congradulated her for defeating her first monster.

"Say how did you two do that? You know, summon magic? Your not even branded as L'cie are you?" Snow asks both Brandon and Lily impressed by their sudden use of magic.

"Don't know, it just came naturally you know?" Brandon says in return and Lily nods in agreement.

A loud high pitch shriek could be heard from above and the party of nine stood ready to fight but once they saw it was the dark scaled Amphisbaena they remembered that Fang and Vanille were riding the flying beast. The Pulsian Huntress and the Pulsian Healer jumped off of the creatures back and landed softly onto the ground, Vanille watched it fly off by waving at it and joins Fang who had rejoined the group.

"So? How was the fight? Simple right?" Fang asks as a smirk forms on her lips. Mel was about to say something instead is moved aside by Lightning and the Sergent drives her fist onto the Huntresses head.

"Simple, huh?! How would you know? You were busy flying around all day on a Wyvern so don't you dare say that fight was merely simple if you didn't take part in it, got it Fang?" Lightning says irritably towards Fang who struggles to get out from under Lights fist.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Knock it off! Your knuckle braces on your gloves hurt ya know!" Fang says quickly for a few seconds and Lightning sighs deeply and removes her fist from Fangs thick skull. Fang recovers and stands upright again, clearing her throat and putting her lance away she spoke calmly.

"Okay sorry me and Nille didn't help out. Been away from home for five hundred years, so you can't exactly blame us for being homesick. Anyways our training regiment; Mel says that we can get stronger if we use the C'ieth stones, I agree with her, so on Gran Pulse there are about sixty four stones scattered around each more difficult than the last. There are sixty four stones and eleven of us so we can either split up in four teams of two with one team with three or three teams of three and one team of two or even two groups of four and one group of three. But make sure you at least have one trained medic with you cuz your gonna need 'em." Fang explains to the party, the gang talks about it among each other for a few minutes and decides quickly.

"I think its best if we split up three groups of three and one group of two, we could cover more ground and have more chance of succeeding than with four groups of two and one group of three." Claire says confident in her choice, everyone agrees with her and Fang nods.

"So how are we gonna split the groups up?" Vanille asks curiously.

"Me, Snow and Sahz could be one group." Hope chimes in.

"Well you two aren't going to wander alone in this place so I'll take point with your friends, Mel." Lightning says to Lily and Brandon then to the androgynous kid who nods in response.

"Alrighty then it'll be me, Nille and your Eidolon. Then the last group will be you and your big sis, but with your Eidolon with us is that alright with you, Mel?" Fang says to the teen as she smirks once more in a playful manner. Mel tries her best to keep the fumes and anger inside of her so she just nods to the huntress. Eidolon Light sees Mels response and says sharply,

"Why do I have to go with them?! I'd rather go with you!" Mel mentally face palms herself and calmly tells her Eidolon,

"This is only for training okay? Just bear with it for the time being and get along with them alright? Once we completed the C'ieth stone missions out here we should meet up at Fault Warrens so we can do Titans challenge. Is that okay with everyone?"

"Whoo. Titans challenges, that Fal'cie pits monsters against each other in a tournament like style to see who is the strongest, it also controls the ecosystem on pulse. Heard the challenges are really tough but I bet we can beat it no problem once we become stronger than before!" The huntress says in response to the teens request.

"Everyone has a com. Unit right? If something goes down we will be able to contact each other and be there at your position as soon as possible. But no matter what we will survive." Lightning says to the group as she, Fang, Snow and Sahz have com. Units the rest don't.

"We got problem if everyone doesn't have a com. Device." Snow says scratching his neck.

" No worries, got that covered." Mel says as she drops her backpack onto the ground and pulls out seven extra com. Units of various colors, those who didn't have collected their own.

"Your sister just likes looting from either dead or unconscious bodies doesn't she?" Light asks Claire who smiles in embarrassment.

" A small habit from when she first came and lived with us. Since my parents didn't like her that much she thought it would have been funny to steal things from their estate to piss them off, though more trouble followed her. She has 'marks' to prove it on her back." She explains to the former Sergeant, her neutral eyes were down casted as she remembered those first few years. Light couldn't find a way to comfort the young adult, how could you when someone close to you was tortured as punishment? Unsure of what to do now Lightning took Brandon and Lily toward the ring of C'ieth stones near Titan and accepted one, Titan sees the L'cie and company and releases smoke like fog around the area making it a bit difficult to see. Then the three returns to the party.

"Here. These maps will help you guys with the locations, layout of the land and such, even will help you guys locate your targets. There is a key to show you what mark is what and there is also an installed compass. Use it well." Mel tells the group as she passes one digital compass like map to every person here.

"Thanks. Alright, our first mission is to deal with an pack of Gorgonospids and an Uridimmu, see you all at Fault Warrens!" Lightning says as she and her group leave to find their targets.

Fang goes over to the same place and picks a stone and returns.

"We got an Ugallu. C'mon Nille, lets go grumpy we got a beast to tame." Then those three left but before she caught up with her group Eidolon Light stops and looks back at Mel with uncertainty in her eyes. Mel, unsure of what to do or say just nods and smiles. Eidolon Light nods in return and chases after her group.

"Kaiser Behemoth is ours lets go you guys!" Snow says cheerfully and runs toward the area his target is with Hope and Sahz right behind him.

Mel and Claire both head over to the ring of C'ieth stones and thought of which one to choose.

"Just you and me now sis..." Mel says softly to Claire.

"Of course." Was her response. The two sisters finally came to a C'ieth stone and both raised their hands to the surface.

"Together." They said in a unison then touched the stones surface. The stone glowed at their touch and revealed to them their mission.

"Pulsework Champion, here in the northlands of the Steppe. Lets go Claire. You ready?" Mel says as she looks square in the eyes of her sister, the young adult nods and smiles hiding her fear. Mel nods to her in return and the two head toward their target through the nearly dense smoky fog.

* * *

A/N: oh man finally I'm done! Sorry if this is a short chapter, been feeling under then weather for how long. Well it seems that everyone has split up and ready to take on Gran Pulse and the challenges it has ready for them, what will they face in the future? Who knows! Please leave a comment, review, good/bad criticism, whatever its the same old thing I leave in almost every other chapter. Until next time, Ciao!


	21. Attacus? Enemies among us

A/N: hey everyone once again, AeonLegacy. Well, it seems that I am feeling much better than I have been for a while so I can progress the story. The title almost says it all that would, could, should happen in this next chapter. If we will just read up on it now shall we? We might then know what'll happen next. With not much to be said, Enj-

*studio door swings and slams open, lights burst and glass fall like rain darkness envelopes the viewing box.*

?: sorry but your stations been finally cancelled, 'Legacy'. *Maniacal laughter rings throughout the dark room*

AeonLegacy: that voice! YOU! GET OUTTA HERE! * reaches for weapon under desk**hand whips around wrist*

?:nope, not leaving without my favorite little writer. Besides, your resemblance to _her_ makes me want to vomit. But I can rearrange that simply. *smiles wickedly*

AeonLegacy: *stares in horror as suddenly dragged out the door* NOOOO!

*studio door slams shut and silence rolls in*

* * *

My POV:

_'Ragnorak! Destroy EVERYTHING!'_

In the end I became the fabled beast, Ragnorak. Engulfing all the known worlds and dimensions in blood and fire as everything is torn asunder and darkness envelopes everything in thick dark smoke clouds. Barthandalus stands beside me laughing victoriously as he watched this much destruction before him with the clouds tearing in half to reveal a large divine hand I believed to be the Maker he and many of the Fal'cies have been searching for for so long, was returning to the mortal world just as they wanted so they could reshape the worlds to their liking; or to Barthandalus's liking.

_'MEL! STOP THIS, NOW! YOUR SPILLING TOO MUCH INNOCENT BLOOD!'_

I looked down through my ember red eyes to see Lightning and the others, even Claire and Brandon and Lily were with them, standing before me half normal half crystal, I couldn't tell if they were turning C'ieth or entering crystal stasis but either way they looked betrayed, angry and a second away from entering deaths domain with so much blood and gashes they were inflicted with and how tattered their clothing were from the terrible damage they suffered from.

_'I know how you all must think very poorly of me for making this choice but it was either this or lose you all in the end... Believe me if there was another way I would have taken that route than cause so much mayhem.'_

I tell to the group in a growling deep and demonic like voice as I see their glares shoot blades, guilt and pain into the depths of my soul that held barley even a fracture of my humanity left but being Ragnorak it was my fuel, my satisfaction, used to carry out my focus to create all of this havoc. This was my greatest sins, blood and corpses set fire it made every blue sky crimson red even the night sky turn to a dark violet red with red being the more dominant color. I felt my fiery tears fall from my eyes as I raised a giant claw up into the blood drenched heavens, I didn't know why I cried those tears but I knew they were not meant for me because of what I have done but for my friends and for my family I have come to care for and cherish, for teaching me so much despite being on the run from the Sanctum for so long and for showing me the way to defy my fate set before me long before I set foot in this world, for everything. But in the end I failed them all, even the Goddess Etro whose body turned to the time stream and disappeared forever...

_Please... Forgive me..._

I tell to my new family as more tears stream from my eyes as I closed them then opened them to see through slits and brought my claw down and saw more blood spill across the plains of either Palumpolum, Bohdum or on Gran Pulse.

* * *

I awoke with a great start and shot all the way up until I was sitting up right. I breathed very heavily and very shallow, alternating every minute or so, trying to calm myself down. Cold sweat drenched my head to my torso making my clothes stick to my skin. The sounds of crickets chirping and the Pulsian beasts howling melodiously calmed me down at last, It has been more than two weeks since we escaped from the Sanctum but more than a few months since we had stayed here on Gran Pulse at least that is how long I have been counting by marking my and Claire's shelter in Haerii Archaeopolis the decimated building where the little Cactar once resides in( luckily me and Claire were able to keep it away by using fire magic to surround it in a ring of fire so it couldn't turn into a prime Cactar or whatever the second form it could turn into to). These nightmares had eluded me of sleep for the past month and it has been driving me to go more insane than when my memories were being stripped from my head. I looked up through the ruined roofs of our once three floor shelter to see it was still dark out but the sun was slowly appearing as I see the color of citrus pink and baby sky blue were chasing the dark violet night away a little and the stars were still twinkling in the sky but they, too, were also retreating with the night.

'Why I have these nightmares is a full out mystery to me that's for damn sure. Can't do much about it as I ask Claire when it'll all stop when she don't even know. I feel bad for her, she's been trying her best to keep the terrors of the dark away but she said that my screams of fear had not only kept her away but caught a few unwanted attention several times and she had to take care of the problems I lured to us while I didn't even bother to open my eyes to help her.' I thought to myself guiltily as I looked at my sister: she looks like she is sleeping much more soundly than ever, I could hear her light snoring from the otherside of the shelter. I smiled gently towards her, at least one of us is getting some sleep.

'beep,beep,beep,beep,beep.'

I heard soft buzzing echoing gently through the shelter and began searching for the source. I rummaged through my backpacks small pockets until I found my white Com. Device ringing, luckily I found out how to turn the volume down otherwise I'd wake Claire up. I flipped the little device open and pulled up to my ear.

"Hello?" I whispered into the device.

"_Mel? That you? It's me, Fang. Look, I need to talk to you about something, where are you?"_ It was Fang on the other line, strange... She's calling to talk to me about something? Thought that she would talk to Vanille more about stuff.

"Me and Claire are in one of the ruined buildings of Haerii Archaeopolis, you want me to bring her?" I asked softly.

"_No. Don't bring her, she's still sleeping right?" _Fang asks in return.

"Yeah she's still sleeping. Fang what's going on?" I ask the huntress who I have come to have equal terms with since her teasings and jokes no longer fazed me.

"_I'll explain everything later right when we meet up. Meet me at Sulyya Springs okay? I swear this isn't going to be a waste of time. But if you keep me waiting for a second longer I swear that I will beat you senseless and you'll regret it okay? Laters..." _Then Fang hangs up on me, the long buzzing sound was all I heard through my unit. She didn't sound like she was joking like her usual prank calls or conversations we'd have on a sort of regular basis but this must be really serious for her. I better go. I put my Com. Device away in its own little pocket and grabbed my twin blades, I learned how to connect them to make one blade resembling Cecil's Paladin blade from FF4, and my buster blade, that now looks like Cloud's blade from 'Advert Children', and strapped them in their respectful places. I climbed the ruins of the building until I was out, the very early morning breeze greeted me with the smell of the fresh morning dew painting the green grass that wasn't touched by death. The area of the Archaeopolis was deserted, the undying C'ieth were never here during the night which I found weird, so I stood to my feet and awakened the power in my left arm until blue sparks of fluent lightning bounced and crackled to life from the scars it left me.

"Awaken the gift of flight." I whispered to my arm and to my voice grey angelic wings sprouted from my back, no pain shot into me since I practiced using this power and got used to the pain, and looked into the empty skies. The sun would rise soon so I best hurry. I jumped and flapped my wings a few times until I was steady and stable then with powerful kick with my wings I shot through the skies toward Sulyya Springs.

* * *

Early morning arrived as I made it to the springs, the sounds of rushing waters fro. The beautiful waterfall fell into the springs below it. It was awfully quiet here too but I didn't mind peace this place gave, even with the sudden threat that Bismark would pop out of the water an attack if we came too close to the springs. Oh, wait! Right, Fang and Snow and Lightning evicted that mechanical fish out of the springs long ago, splashed it so hard out of the water it went flying right out of the water and flopped on land until flopped over the second waterfall and never came back. I laughed as I remembered how that happened with their Eidolons cannon balling in the waters. Anyway, I looked around for a time but couldn't spot the huntress, where is she?

"Your late! Made me wait for good twenty minutes Mel, time to make you pay!" I heard Fangs voice but still couldn't find her. The plants that grew here glowed brilliant green and gave me some light to wait for the sun, when I looked down to my feet I saw a shadow, well two shadows, then I looked up to see both Fang and Light falling from the ceiling with their weapons raised above their heads ready to strike me down. I flapped my wings forward and the wind pushed me back in time to avoid being hit in the head as the two metal weapons pierced the rocks and made small holes in it.

"Hey I just got here okay? With my ability to fly thanks to these." I shucked a thumb toward my wings.

"I managed to get here a lot quicker than on foot." I told to Fang as I watched her and Light put their weapons away. Fang just laughs.

" It was a joke. Lighten up." She tells me as she walks up to me and plays with my wings saying she's just 'looking' at them.

"Glad you could make it, you seem like you gotten stronger and faster since we last seen each other. How have you been, Mel?" Light asks me as she followed Fang but didn't bother to look at my wings. Which was a good thing.

"You really think so? I haven't really noticed how much I improved. But overall I'm good how about you li- ow! Fang stop pulling my wings out that hurts damn it!" I shout to the huntress who looks at me, smiles and shrugs her shoulders and resumes. I roll my eyes and sigh, I breath in slowly then exhale just as slow. I feel my wings were retracting back into my back until they were no longer there, Fang walks up in front of me with a glare and throws a kick to my head but I caught it with my left hand and she tried again with her other leg but I caught that too until we start fighting it out landing and blocking attacks here and there and so forth.

"Enough! This isn't the reason why Fang called you here Mel! Fang knock it off now!" Lightning shouts, sounding irritated, and pulls the two of us to our feet.

"We didn't come here to train against each other." She begins then points toward the waterfall.

"We came here for whatever lies beyond that waterfall."

"Something beyond the waterfall? What's over there?" I asked a little nervous.

"That's what we're about to find out. Lets go!" Fang says as she and Light make their way to the waterfall where Bismark once claimed that part of the spring.

"Wait! Is anyone else joining us? We might need their help, you know? Not that I'm doubting our current strengths but we don't know what's down there!" I cried out toward my superiors. They stop and just motion me to follow.

"The others won't be coming, we won't let them get caught up in the mess. So I only asked you and Fang to tag along. Couldn't do this alone nor did I want to bring everyone into this cavern. You coming or what?" Lightning says calmly just as cool as her expression and eyes are telling me, 'have a little faith in me.' I stood there for a second then followed, when we were standing near the edge of the bank a walkway of land was lifted from beneath the waters surface and the waterfall split itself in half revealing a cavern entrance.

"Time to go." Fang an Light say simultaneously and the three of us walked right into the cavern.

* * *

The cavern passage way was very spacious it gave all of us room to walk without walking single file or crouch low to avoid hitting our heads on the rocky roof. The light we received were from our palms, I casted a strong Firaga spell I held perfectly in place of my palm as Fang conjured a Firaga spell encased in ice to give off a cool blue glow and Light brought up thundaga spell that didn't bounce nor crackle but was held perfectly fine in place of her hand. Funny we made the primary colors as our light source. We had been walking for what seemed like hours until there was a faint sound of water, it grew louder as we continued to walk through the passage.

"So how did you two find this place anyways?" I ask the older women.

"We didn't exactly find it, Snow did. When his group took on the Zinitra here in the springs he was knocked aside and landed near the waterfall, when their target was dead the passage opened to them but they had to finish their mission so he gave me a call and asked if I could check it out with him and his group later on. Apparently being a numbskull he is he forgot so I called you two in their place." Lightning explains to me, I guess that would sort of sound like Snow... He's been so focused lately he seems to forget some things, not that it keeps him from getting stronger but it seems troublesome when I hear the tales from the others when they call.

The sound of rushing water grew great and a dim light was up ahead, we no longer needed our spells to provide us with light and extinguished them and ran toward the dim light. As we came closer to the light it became brighter and brighter until we were blinded by it; I stopped in my tracks abruptly with my arms raised over my closed eyes, when I felt ready to open them I lowered my arms and looked through my eyes and they automatically widened in awe.

"Oh my gosh! This place looks freaking amazing!" I cried aloud.

The place was vast with two waterfalls mirroring each other left and right with ruined marble pillars scattered around the cave perfectly aligned in the deep pool of water though a few were already ruined and laid on their side. A marble and limestone staircase greeted us with the walkway leading toward the center of the room that had thirteen high white chairs lined up like the Olympians omega symbol, plus one extra, on a huge white ruined pavilion.

"What is this place, Fang?" I asked the huntress looking at this place in amazement.

"No idea. I never knew this place even existed. I doubt even the elders knew about this place either!" She responds half distracted and half focused.

We walked down the stairway and headed toward the pavilion, the walkway was not as decorated as I thought with marble statues when we were up by the entrance. Fang and Light walked ahead of me as I saw three statues in strange armor guarding the end of the walkway, two adult sized statues one on the left the other on the right and the third was about your average teens height. I examined the statues individually but they looked familiar the more I looked at them, when I saw their weapons they looked like giant keys. The adults held it the normal frontside by the hilt but the teen held it by the hilt with the blade in a reversed style.

"Freaky, looks familiar..." I said under my breath as I caught up to my two companions. The high chairs looked freaky familiar too as did the statues that stood in front of them; there were three females and four males they all appeared to be sleeping all but one girl; she sat on a normal white chair with her head down looking at a sketch book and a crayon in her right hand. She has a heart shaped face wearing a sort of short white dress and her hair hung over her shoulder as she drew. The more I looked at this statue the more creeped out I felt. But in that instant a name and a face popped into my head and I couldn't believe it.

"No way..."

"Hey Mel! Check out that center chair at the top. Looks like weapons sealed in a fire protective case. Me and pinky are going to go and see what we can do, stay down here and watch guard." Fang tells me and I nod as I walked away from the statues. As I see the two climb up I leaned my back against the center chair relaxing, a few minutes later a shrill wail echoes and sends chills down my spine.

"What was that?" I looked ahead of me to see a figure standing on the stairs. It starts sprinting with something in its hands, scratch that, hand! Straight towards the pavilion.

"Crap! It's Attacus! Hurry up you guys that cie'th is really fast, really strong and really pissed!" I shouted to the two.

"Keep it busy we're moving as fast as we can to open this thing." Fang shouts down.

"Just hurry!" I cried in return. I reached for my sword but I wasn't quick enough, Attacus was upon me and had slashed its crystal sword diagonally across my chest from my right shoulder to my left hip. I stared at it in horror and coughed up blood but I thrusted my left arm at it and sent it flying back toward the staircase in a white and grey mist. I casted curaga on my large wound while trying to stop the blood from flowing, I leaned against one of the chairs for support then I grabbed my right twin blade.

"Lets go you ugly sucker!" I cried out to Attacus. In less than a second it launches itself from the mist towards me and swings its sword, I bring mine up to deflect it and the weight of its attack creates a crater under my feet i could feel water in my boots. Then I stabbed the red dot where the heart once the weapon of the cie'th was out of the way but it was just flailing around. Confused I sink my blade deeper but now its up close to my face wailing and flailing around swinging its sword around trying to gut and stab anything it could.

"Inferno!" I shouted hoarsely and a large beam of fire was produced from my sword it engulfed Attacus instantly. Minutes later it was motionless in my blade. I dropped its charred corpse and stared at it. That couldn't have been the actual Attacus we were supposed to face in Titans final challenge was it?

"We got it open!" Fang cried then glass shattered right by my foot. I just looked up. I couldn't see what their expressions looked liked but Light just seemed to either tap the huntress in the shoulder or she punched her.

"Crack!" My eyes darted to the dead Attacus but it wasn't moving, I looked at all the statues to see cracks were forming in them. More and more were forming until light bursted through, again I covered my eyes to avoid becoming blind then when things turned dark or back to normal lighting I opened my eyes again only to see weapons aimed at my throat. Not the ones that the party or Sanctum or any other of our enemies wield but a pair of Chakrams and seven key blades. Yeah I said it, Chakrams an Keyblades.

* * *

Snow: when did this become a cross over?! I thought this was supposed to be our story alone!?

Fang: can't help it! Someone else is writing now and brought these kids into the story. See me, Hope and Nille went to check on Legacy but the studio was trashed and the kid was nowhere to be found!

Lightning: You have got to be joking. The writers been kidnapped and now we have more interlopers joining us? I'm fine with the four with the five with us but ten more, unbelievable...

Hope: I understand but I'm not sure if there is much we can do at this point, I'm sure Legacy is okay.

Vanille: But I'm a little worried, hopefully Legacy will come back unharmed...

Sahz: The kid is strong with power as words, besides the kid is sort of a pyromaniac. Said that fire keeps them protected, we just have to wait.

Snow: your right.. Sorry folks back to the story!

* * *

"I knew it! I knew it when I was looking at those statues they looked familiar! *cough! Cough! Cough!*" I cried aloud but the feeling of blood rising from my wound that had yet to be healed when the statues came to life.

"You alright, Mel?" Light asked from above.

"The statues are alive! Please hurry up, my curaga spell just died to nothing and I feel like crap..." I replied as I slumped to the floor.

"He needs help, can you heal him Aqua?" Ventus asks his friend.

"Of course." She says in return.

(Yup, kingdom hearts making a small cameo entrance just for now)

I could feel the Keyblade masters healing magic moving over my wound that starts to mend from the spell. When I feel it turning into a scar the glow stops and I feel better.

"Thank you..." I tell the blue haired woman, she smiles and nods.

"Mel! You alright? Who are these people, enemies?" Fang asks when I see her draw a new unique looking lance.

"No, they aren't Fang... Put that away, wait what's up? That's what was in the box?" I asked to the design of darkness based lance and Lights lightning based sword.

"Yup, pretty sweet huh? Look we need to leave, they can come if they want but that box up there told us the guardians will come and kill us if we don't move." The huntress says as the two make it toward the exit. I grunted in pain as I stood to my feet and limbed after them. I could hear multiple footsteps come from the eight outsiders from kingdom hearts.

"Let me guess: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Axel, Namine, Terra, Ventus and Aqua. Right?" I ask in a tired tone as we walked toward the exit that would lead us back to the springs.

"That's right, right on the spot. Got it-"

"I got it memorized, yeah..." I finished Axels sentence and he remained quiet.

"Look we don't know how we got here but Yen Sid told us that someone was going to destroy the worlds and we had to stop them. Maybe you might know what's going on?" Terra asks.

"No idea, sorry... Are we there yet?" I asked in annoyance as we were walking very, dreadfully slow.

"Why not ask Pinky to carry you if your hurt?" Fang teases yet again.

"No... Before you start making wise crack jokes again like how you did with the other Light." I respond back nonchalantly. Fang just snaps her fingers and continues to lead. In seconds I drop to my feet dead tired but feeling very sick, the blood I coughed up looked dark and smelled funny.

"Poison..." Was my conclusion.

"Fang! Contact Vanille, She's been poisoned! " I heard SOLDIER girl say but her voice sounded distant. I felt my world begin to turn dark and the maniacal laughter I heard in my dreams came back sounding louder than Thunder itself.

* * *

A/N: sorry for bringing kingdom hearts into this I got bored but they have information to pass on, besides they can enter different worlds too. Though they won't stay for long, again sorry if this seemed short just trying to do my best right now. Well, as the previous chapters say of review, comments whatever until next time and until we can find AeonLegacy, Laters! (Taking over will be Ultimatum, bye!)


	22. Is it too soon?

A/N: Fang: OI! Listen up everybody! My name is Oerba Yun Fang and me and my Co-host, Oerba Dia Vanille, here shall be in Legacy's authors seat until we find her. But until the Viewing box is done being repaired me and Vanille will be talking from in our ruined home in Oerba. Vanille, whats up with this Ultimatum guy anyway?

Vanille: Well, Fang, Ultimatum was a title of a character Legacy was going to use for another story but apparently he came to life and tried to worm his way into the Viewing Box to rearrange the story or any of Legacy's stories to his liking.

Fang: So, why did he take Legacy? Couldn't he jus' sneak in and take a computer instead of trashing the place and kidnap her?

Vanille: According to Legacy's Idea book I found under the wreckage of those lighting beams he likes to destroy things before he takes his leave. Why he took Legacy is a mystery...

Fang: Such a strange bastard this guy sounds... HEY, SNOW!

Snow: YEAH!?

Fang: YOU ALMOST DONE FIXING THE VIEWING BOX YET?!

Snow: YES! COME TAKE A LOOK!

Fang: Sweet! Lets go check it out 'Nille.

Vanille: Okay.

Snow: The Viewing box is done! You're gonna like it!(Opens door) TA-DAA!

(Viewing box looks just like Lightning and Serahs house.)

Fang: Looks like Pinky's house!

Snow: Yeah! For that little homey touch, right?

Fang: Vanille? Can I beat him?

Vanille: No, Fang just calm down! Its very detailed Snow. Anyway lets begin where we left off okay? Ciao!

* * *

The sound of metal hitting rock echoed in the cavern as the sound of labored grunts and gasps were bouncing of the limestone walls.

"Its no good, Fang! Even using Bahamut can't get the waterfall entrance to open up to us. Trying to force your way through won't get us anywhere either!" Lightning shouts to the huntress in vain as her companion continues to whip her new lance to carve a path through.

"I..gh! Don't... HA! CARE! HA! I need to... TCH! Get back to... GYAA! Vanille! She can help us right now. Or have you already forgotten Light that Mel is suddenly dying!?" Fang cried to her pink haired companion with such hostility it tore the silence away and tension rose in the room. Light keeps a cool gaze as she watches her friend over and over cracking the way that opened to them by using force. She then looked over to the group hanging over Mel, pale and weak and frail as she was the poison from the Cie'th she fought in the open chamber may have been an easy kill but it died fighting back harder before it was burned to death. The chambers only light came from the multiple healing spells from the group that joined the L'cie trying to slow or possible destroy the poison Lightning wasn't sure but no matter what they tried not even a Esuna spell worked on the poison. Lightning sighed as she saw the young teen breathing desperately hard even her own lungs were compressing themselves but it was only the ghost pain softly mimicking the teens own suffering.

"Fang! Take a break, I'll take over." She tells her bewildered friend who stops and turns but the hostility remained in her jade eyes.

"Please have more success than me, Light. She needs help or else." Fang says to Light as she lowered her lance and walked away.

"Since when did you two become close friends?" Light asked with a small smile on her lips as she drew her new gunblade.

Fang continued walking away but said,

"When Eidolon you told me and Vanille you cried over the kids body on the Lindblum before we went and invaded the Palamecia."

"Touche." Then Light started to calmly gather her strength and began hacking the rock as Fang with more grace and accuracy than wild brutal strength. Fang took in a couple of steady breathes then wandered over to the group that recently joined them.

"How is she? Any changes?" She asked concerned as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Alive, but not much else. The poison is obviously taking its toll on your friends body, without proper medication she'll die. I'm sorry that I couldn't do more for her." Aqua tells Fang remorsefully as she continues to slow the poison the best she could with her curaga spell.

"Aqua... We need to tell them. Why we are here before them in the first place, why they can't leave." The tall brunette man, Terra, tells to his blue haired companion. She sighs deeply and agrees though regrets being given this task.

"Your right Terra, we've been stalling long enough. Fang, Lightning..." Aqua begins to stand as a thin light formed in her hand expanded revealed her key blade 'Fall's"(?). Fang raised an eyebrow as she saw the strange weapon then turned to Lightning with wide eyes that Terra had his own key shaped blade at the pinknettes throat.

"What are you two doing?!" The huntress cried in confusion, she drew her new lance but it just sheathed itself back to a folded pole. Lightnings new gunblade did the same and sheathed itself into Lights leather holster.

"You guys were never our allies! Enemies among us no matter where we go, someones there to play traitor." Lightning says as she sees the group summon their weapons of choice, standing against them. Terra released his hold on Lightning and returned to Aqua's side with regret in their eyes.

" You want your friend? You wanna get outta here to heal her? Your going to have to beat us first." Terra said in a slow and uneasy tone. He raised his right hand above his head and the earth shook, the ground beneath Mel rumbled then ripped itself from the ground and carried the ill girl with it in mid air. Fang and Light gasped and tried to get to her but the group and their friend vanished within seconds.

"If you want her come get her at the Pavilion where you found those weapons or else you'll never see your friend again."

The two women didn't wast time standing around long before the message finished they sprinted back toward the area they just left and were fueled with rage once again for the sudden betrayal. Their feet sprinting across the earthy ground echoed throughout the cavern and when they reached the waterfalls they stopped abruptly and stood there still as stone. The waterfalls were suddenly quiet and the only thing that could be heard was the voice of the viper, Barthandalus .

"You!" Lightning cried, her voice full of venom from hearing the Fal'cie's voice out of the blue like he was in the same room as them but weren't.

"Hello, L'cie. Do not sound so desperate and rage at me so much, this meeting would have occurred in Oerba but when I felt a shift change somewhere in this wild and exotic place I just had to give you all a better greeting in a place of solitude." Barthandalus says with a smirk of false cheer. Fang spits on the walkway near her foot and draws her new weapon.

"Your new pawns I reckon? Nice bunch.. Too bad we gotta kill 'em! Alonside their pathetic master!" She growled lowly as she spoke with death in her gaze hard as the earth but true as the wind a look shared by her pink haired companion.

"Oh, well. I have had enough of this talk, death comes to all who defy their fate!" Barthandalus says mockingly and roars mechanically. Lightning and Fang draw their original weapons before the ones they found and stood ready to attack.

* * *

Fang took care of Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Axel and Xion(sudden add in forgot to add her in the last chapter) while Lightning took care of Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas and Namine. Metal clashed against metal as sparks flew through the air. The duo stood back to back eyeing their enemies breathing a bit hard but not hard enough to slow them down.

"Ready to summon our Eidolon?" Fang whispers to Light who shook her head.

"We do that who knows what that snake will do, if he casts Doom we won't get another chance okay? We wait." Lightning whispers back. Fang just clicks her tongue in annoyance. Fang sees a shadow come over her and she raises her lance in time to block Xion and Namines combined attack of their keyblades. The two teens continue to apply pressure on their weapon sparks continue to fly and Fang starts losing her footing.

'Shit! These kids are stronger than they look! Man, but all I gotta do is fight back!' "HAAAAAAA!" Fang roars and swings her lance to the side shaking the two girs off of her, they blink for a second to find the woman was gone until she appears behind them and shoves her feet down onto their ribs and they fall to the ground with painful screams and fall unconscious.

"Namine! Xion!" Sora cried towards his friends.

"Never leave yourself open in a fight; rule number one, rule number two; never face your back to the enemy!" Lightning says as she whips past Sora, stands over him and swings her gunblade at him. The blade finds its way towards Sora's left cheek and slashes all the way across his nose then he uses his keyblade to knock the weapon aside and jumps away with blood spillling from his nose.

"Sora! Why you?!" Riku says to Lightning murderously and charges, he brings his keyblade over his head and to his back as far as he could bring it and swings downward on the womans own weapon. The force of the impact creates a sudden crater under Lights feet she loses her balance and falls to her back with water covering her. Riku point his keyblade downwards and simd for her heart, feeling trapped Light feels cool water in her boots and called on the running liquid to her will.

"Wateraga!" She cried and the water surge follows her hand and becomes a serpent, the water lizard the size of two city buses put together rams itself ito the silver haired teen and encases him inside itself. The serpent then collects Namine, Xion, Axel and Ventus, after they fell from battle. Fang deals with Aqua and Terra and Roxas but when the watery beast was heading her way she looks at Terra and sticks her tongue out at him, smirks then pushes him off her by overpowering him in strength and jumps in time for the beast to collect the brunette. Roxas sees his friends trapped and jumps after the beast and tries to hack it with Oblivion and Oathkeeper but instead of water his blades met with and electric one. Lightning surrounded her weapon with electricity and seeing the boy fought very close to the waterfall he was soaked so when the two or should I say three metals touched the electricity coursed its way from Lightnings gunblade through Roxas's two key blades and electrocuted the teen. He howled madly in pain until he couldn't take too much more and passed out falling on his back to the earth his jacket smoking but not in flames. Aqua was the last of the group though she looked much more tired than the two other women as she breathes much harder and her skin looks more paler than her normal fair skin tone.

"No!" She cried as she saw her friends trapped in the belly of the water monster under the control of the pink haired woman. She raises her keyblade once more but unlike the battle with Vanitas at Neverland her eyes unwillingly closed against her will and her body fell tired from the fight to continue on. Lightning releases the spell and the serpent became water once more freeing those it trapped but they were out cold as well. They turned to the Fal'cie to see he no longer was there, all that remained was his sinister voice echoing in the chamber.

"Fools, you will never reach me in years. true you have gotten stronger but does this new found strength be enough to defeat me? These pawns never existed, I took them from their world but now the spell will send them home, their memories erasing everything they encountered here. Until Oerba, stay safe little ones... Hehehehehe!"

"You coward! Come back and fight me! You sick bastard!" Fang shouted to the wind only to hear her own voice and the sound of the waterfalls respond back to her. She clenched her teeth in anger as her fists, shes had it up to here with that damn Fal'cie and will do more than send it to hell when she has her hands on his filthy throat! When the Pulsian woman looked at those they defeated their bodies began to fade away until they vanished completely leaving nothing behind but the scars of war they created by their weapons.

"They were the guardians. It makes more sense now, look Fang." Says Light as she raises her lightning designed gunblade in front of her wielding the hilt in one hand watching it open to her touch and sparking to life with electricity and storm clouds being born above her head on the crystal blue ceiling at least thirty feet high. Fang cocks her head curtly and grabs her dark lance, the lance opens itself to Fangs firm affect and darkness shrouds the weapon like black clouds floating around her spear.

"Cool! We need to get these weapons to the others." Excitement was dripping from her voice as she caressed the new weapon in her hands. Light rushed up to the huntress and punched her again in the back of the head it almost made Fang fall on her face.

"Damn it what the hell was that for you crazy pink haired- Gah!" Fang cried in pain as she rubbed her head.

"Now isn't the time for that! We still need to take Mel to see Vanille! She's still poisoned." Lightning says urgently, worry is expressed in her cerulean eyes as she rushes over to the teens side in the center of the pavilion growing frailer and snow white pale with every waking moment goes by.

"You sure there ain't something going on between you two?" Fang asks curious trying to lighten up the mood.

"What are you going off about now Fang?" Lightning asks as her gaze meets Fangs with a glare. Fang smirks as she cradles the purple glowing Eidolon stone in her hand.

"Just asking, ever since we met you were so concerned about the kid there. More so on the Lindblum when you asked Hope to stir up trouble for ya so you could see the body. Tell me, she important?" Fang asks once more without any humor lingering in her voice nor eyes, much less in her face. Lightning picks Mel up bridal style afraid of hurting her in such a frail state looks into her blank, hollow eyes and nods.

"Just as important as you are all my family, so to say the least, as important as Serah..." Light says slowly as she walks beside the huntress who throws the stone into the air and summoned Bahamut already in gesalt mode. The two jump on its mighty back and fly towards the exit.

* * *

When the entrance leading to the waterfalls in the springs opened Fang pulled out her com. device and calls Vanille. The device rings for a few times as they flew through the amber skies toward their base camp in Vallis media, likely to find the others there. After the few rings a cheery but worried voice spoke on the otherside of the line.

"F-Fang?" Vanille said through the line her voice sounded a little shaken.

"Vanille! Good you answered! Listen, bad news, Mel's been poisoned and everything we tried doesn't work on her! Are you at Base camp?" Fang says quickly trying to get to the point while controlling Bahamuts flying.

"Yes, we're all waiting at base camp." Vanille says shaky, Fang swears her guts turning sour right now from talking to her closest friend and she could have sworn she heard Vanille whisper,

"Please hurry..." But wasn't sure.

"Fang, Claire wants to talk to you now okay? I'm handing her the phone now."

"Vanille! Wait don't hand her the phone just y-"

"Hello Fang..." Fangs eyes widen in shock as Claire's voice sounded like her own only with a mechanical touch to it.

"Claire? Is tha' you? You sick or something? Ya sound different." Fang asks over the phone trying to not sound suspicious.

"I am perfectly fine, Fang. By the way; Where's my sister hmm? Haven't seen her at all since I woke up this morning. She with you and Lightning?" Claire asks with venom in her mechanical voice. Fangs right eye twitched to this and she steadied her voice.

"Yeah she's with me and Light, we went out to train together for today. Unfortunately she got poisoned, we're coming back to get her checked out by Nille." Fang explains slowly, she turns to Light and mouths over to her to see,

"Things are sounding bad on Nille's side, Light." Then focuses back to the conversation with Claire.

"Listen Fang I got a deal I wanna make with you." Claire begins, a wicked smile forms on her face though Fang can't see it.

"What kind of deal you got in mind, Claire?" Fang asks, a single bead of sweat falling slowly from her brow.

"My deal is this; meet me, Lily and Brandon at the ruins of Yaschas Massif with Mel or you're friends will be Feral dinner. Meet us there tonight or who knows, Brandon will have to carve another smile in Vanille's cheery little face!" Claire said just as wickedly as her twisted smile, when Fang heard they were going to hurt their friends, especially Vanille, she couldn't remain calm.

"Hurt her and I'll tear you's all apart with my bare hands!" She grunted quickly as she slammed her fist on Bahamut head but the Eidolon didn't so much as flinch from the sudden hit.

"Hahaha! Tonight! See ya!" Then the line goes dead. Fang closed her unit and put it away. Her body shook violently with rage and she clenched her teeth with anger infuriated with everything thats leading up to now.

"Fang? What happened?" Light says uneasy as she sat beside the sick teen, her hand resting gently on the teens cold hand.

"Like you said Light, enemies among us! Always be someone there to play traitor. But this time its Mel's friends and sister..." Fang replies to Light through her clenched teeth. Light couldn't believe this and by hearing this she,too, felt enraged.

"What do they want?" Light asks calmly with her eyes glowing with fire.

"Same as every one of Dysely's pawns; Mel. They must have planned this from the start. But no way in hell am I turning her in to those traitors. We need a plan..." Fang says seething with rage as she directed Bahamut toward Yaschas Massif.

"We need Eidolon Light, she can help us." Light tells Fang but Fang clicks her teeth.

"No good, she goes off on her own all the time and train. Doesn't come back for a day or so, that brat. Not that your a brat or anything Light."

"Your point Fang?"

"My point is she won't be around to help us but if we so happen to bump into her before tonight it'll be a miracle but tell me your plan anyways Light." Fang says intrigued after seeing Light brushed her accidental insult to Mel's Eidolon away she sat near Fang and told her her plan. Along the way Mel tried to say something but couldn't, she wasn't strong enough to speak normally so she prayed they could hear her as she spoke barely above a whisper,

"I know what he's after, and it ain't just me... He wants to destroy everything and shape the worlds to his favor... Please stop him..."

* * *

A/N: Fang: Well that sure seemed like hard work to put together from personal experience and put it down on paper or whatever.

Vanille: I guess Fang but you could of asked me to type! In the orphanage you weren't always paying attention to the elders as they taught. It would have been done faster if you let me do the typing.

Fang: No no no! I told you I got it, you weren't there so how could I let you type the story without you being there huh? It wouldn't seem real if you told it.

Vanille: But I could have wrote the part where Claire was talking to you. I could have described the conversation quite well if I say so myself!

Fang: Whateva's Nille, hey but guess what?

Vanille: What?

Fang: We finished a whole chapter on our own!

Vanille: *Squeals in delight*

*Fang and Vanille hi-five! ;D*

Fang: I could get used to doing Legacy's job until she comes back or until someone finds her, right Nille?

Vanille: Right! Hope this chapter was good for all of the viewers reading! This one had some twists huh? This should have been named after the last chapter but someone is screwing somethings up... Though we plan on catching Ultimatum and bringing him to justice and finding our good friend, AeonLegacy!

Fang: Yea', please review, comment, leave a question, whateva it is Legacy leaves up here and, ready Nille?, until next time... Wait for it...!

Fang and Vanille: Ciao!


	23. Traitors and the things we need

A/N: Fang: Hey, Nille?

Vanille: Yeah, Fang?

Fang: Where did everybody go? Its like, we're the only two people left in the world... This feels like the time at Sulyaa springs and I was waiting for Mel with Light that you could hear someone die it was so quiet!

Vanille: Well, Snow and Sahz went to the hard ware store to buy more cables and lights for the studio, Hope went with Serah to the store to buy dinner and Lightning went to the local police department to see if there were any recent updates on Legacy or Ultimatum or even on Barthandalus.

Fang: Really?! Wow... Everybody is busy today... Everybody but us.

Vanille: We were just about to start the next chapter and we didn't even begin the first sentence since you went on your soul search. Any luck?

Fang: No... Still trying to find... Inspiration...! *Closes eyes and thinks*

Vanille: Fang don't over do it or you'll hurt yourself...

Fang: I GOT IT!

Vanille: AAAGH! FANG!

Fang: Not now Nille! Hurry! Pass me a computer and turn on the big screen before I lose my inspiration!

Vanille: *Passes computer to Fang* Got an idea?

Fang: Yeah! Well more of what I remember really... Now lets see, oh right! 'Night dawned upon the fierce duo in seconds...

* * *

Night dawned over the fierce duo in seconds as they landed the dark hide Eidolon near the entrance to Yaschas Massif and returned to its crystal form. Fang looks down the road leading to their destination with anger in her eyes, Lightning looks at her wild companion with worry but with a similar betrayal portraying in her cerulean eyes.

"How are we going to do this? Just charge in, weapons ablaze, what?" Fang asks Light sternly, ice was embedded in her voice.

"No, you told me the traitors already got our friends tied up or something, right?" Light asks strongly. Fang nods in turn. Both women look at the young girl and she her state has worsen drastically, her breathes look so shallow Mel doesn't even seem like she is alive. Sighing deeply they both took an arm and draped it over their shoulder and walked down the path to the ruins. With each step they took the sounds of growling and hissing grew and seeing the faces of their friends and enemies came just as close.

"Besides, even if we do go in and flash our weapons at them, who knows what they got up their sleeves. Again, Fang, we can't take a lot a risks. Unlike before we had everyone by our side so taking risks was alright, now they are on the other side taking risks has us gambling too much. Patience is the only card we have left, understand?" Lightning explains as she tries to predict the situations they would face when they entered the ruins. Fang sneered grimly at their options but had no choice but to go with what they had at their disposal. The ruins appeared before them and grew immensely huge, Yaschaf Massif were crowded with many beasts from Flans to Cie'th to Wyverns and much more all huddled together in a grand circle surrounding something but the pair wasn't sure what it was the monsters trapped within their circle.

"Welcome Fang, Lightning. So glad you could make it to the feast!" Said a voice from above. Fang and Light look skyward and in the moonlight stood on top of a solid pathway of the raised land that surrounded the Massif was Brandon, his blue eyes were no longer full of laughter and joy but wicked humor and malice shown within those eyes. It didn't seem like the same, once, confused teen who had joined the group months ago.

"Whats going on 'ere Brandon?! You guys decided to turn on us after everything we been through!?" Fang shouted venomously to the teen who did nothing but smile evilly. He slowly chuckled, the sound of the laugh sending chills down Fang and Light even Mel's spines, and pointed to the circle of monsters.

"You should see what these beasts are guarding. Its such a wonderful sight, seeing blood glisten under the moonlight... Breathtaking, especially when its the blood of former friends, right? What do you think about that, Vanille?" The circle of monsters split open a path between them and the two women's field of vision. Fang's jade green eyes widen in horror from what she saw and so did Light's. Vanille, Hope, Snow and Sahz were all tied up in thick and heavy rope made from the hair and hide of a Kaiser Behemoth and covered in blood, their companions looked dazed and pale from the sudden blood loss and didn't even respond to the sound of their friends crying out to them. Fang jerked her head away from the sight and her eyes were locked with Brandon who was then suddenly joined by Lily and Claire.

"What the hell are you three thinking!? These are your friends, shit! This is your sister, Claire! You gonna just betray her and let her die!?" The huntress shouted grimly toward the three teens. They merely grinned and waved off Fangs shouting like nothing.

"We aren't going to let Mel die, Fang. Light. We are going to cure her and hand her over to lord Barthandalus! He will be so pleased to see how well our late commander miss Jihl Nabaat's plan had worked beautifully before her tragic end. Besides, we were never your friends. And I think the three of us can agree that we need to bathe in a pool of fire to get rid of everything we had done alongside you filthy L'cie!" Lily cried down to the duo with malice laced in their eyes.

Lightnings grip around her HautClaire gunblades hilt tightened in her right hand, she forgot that Mel's sister and friends were so confused but by every encounter their eyes always showed they were familiar to the creatures and people they fought for the past few months.

"You worked for the Sanctum all this time and seeing that you have gotten stronger and waited for me and Fang to leave an opportunity presented itself to you so strike... Show your true face, cowards!" Light demanded to the trio.

Brandon and Lily turned to Claire who acts as their leader nods to the two and they comply. Their hands reached up to their faces and their index finger and thumb were on their temples, they pressed against their temples and a wave of light grew from where they touched and disappeared. When the light faded a hissing sound came from their faces, like a hatch opening and air is escaping from the opened metal gap, pulled forward and their appearances changed slowly as they pulled the 'masks' from their true face. When the blank golden bronze masks are removed the trio are revealed to show their true face; the three are shown wearing similar dark grey cloaks with white emblems stitched onto the left triceps of an SE, white and gold and blue patterned armored uniform dressed over their torso's, white armored long tights pockets full of explosives and pistols, and raven black boots. The three were wearing Elite PSICOM uniforms, the woman posing as Claire wore a half mask with a similar design as Jack of Blades from Fable the lost chapters her honey blond hair flowing freely down her back and her rose pink lips were pulled into a wicked grin, the one disguised as Brandon wore a full black mask with white rims and his glowing violet eyes could be seen through the masks eye holes with his silver spiky hair shining under the moons glow, and the other woman that emulated as Lily wore a full white mask with roses and green thorn vines crafted into the left side of the mask with her navy blue almost black hair gently rests over her right shoulder neatly and proper.

"PSICOM's elite officers..." Lightning says in great shock and surprise as she examines the threes uniforms, apparently these were the people she warned the others about at Lake Bresha after they took care of the 'green horned' PSICOM group they encountered after their talk of saving Cocoon and beating Ragnorak. Fang bares her teeth in rage and charges for the trio with her dark lance, Malice, and shoots quick bullets of darkness their way. The three dodge flawlessly and when the small projectiles hit the earth large dark explosions were made and swept everything around it in a black vortex of nothing and disappeared without taking a huge portion of land with it.

"Elite soldiers or the pulse god Linzei himself, it don't mean shit to me! They hurt Nille and the others, I'm goin' to tear them apart with Malice then feed their corpses to the void me self!" She cries with burning hate reflecting in her jade eyes the moons rays in them turned to a fiery red color. The leader of the three laughed the threats away like it was a lint stuck to her coat, her two companions only had blank expressions that could be seen through their masks eyeholes.

"Like that'll happen, L'cie! We have your friends hostage, now hand over Mel and we will let everyone go free." The leader says in a sultry voice. Taunting Fang by flicking her wrist toward the circle of beasts, a pack of several Ugallu snapped their fierce and hungry jaws at Vanille who stares at the ground with her green eyes showing emptiness. Just nothing showed. Fang loses her cool and attacks blindly with rage. She readies her lance and aims for the elites throat, when she got close and the woman turns her attention back to Fang her evil eyes flash fear as the sharp ends of the lance is ready to gouge her eyes out the huntress's weapon meets metal and a blue flash. To the Elite soldiers relief and to Fangs horror her weapon had been deflected by a shock rod the grunt soldiers used against her in previous fights, her and the group had done their best to not make contact but now it was her mistake for acting out blindly and wild. The man smiled evilly and turned his own weapon of choice voltage on extremely high, the electricity from the rod brightened dramatically and the sound of crackling increased very loudly, the current of the electricity coursed through Fangs weapon and surged right into her system from her fingers and into her body. The huntress was paralyzed by the high voltage that when she tried to let go her hands were glued tight around the staff, as the electricity surged through her body her hands began to smoke, so did parts of her blue sari catching fire and she screamed painfully loud it made the beasts howl alongside the huntress. Blue volts surrounded the pulsian woman as she screamed, the three elites taking pleasure in seeing the L'cie being tortured ever so slowly by their hands, that is why Lightning and almost every branch of Cocoon's military core called PSICOM's elites cold blooded beasts because they loved to make their targets squirm and watch as blood fell from them. It was their addiction and one no one could break them from it.

When the man turned the voltage off Fang slumps to the ground with a heavy thud, her lively and care free eyes show dark blankness, nearly turning white, her robust figure looks frail and weak from taking that sort of damage. Fire patches slowly grew on her sari as her hands around her weapon turn charcoal black as smoke is freeing itself into the sky. Blood trickles from her mouth forming a small pool, Elites don't waste their energy in fighting they usually have subordinates surrounding them to do the job or they use their weapons to mortally wound their target so they didn't need any resistance. The man kicks the wounded and nearly broken Fang in the gut and sends her flying, her weapon was facing downward and dug itself into the dirt and caught her, trying desperately hard to stand and breath simultaneous was a very difficult task to do as pain and the ghost feeling of electricity flowing still through her systems all Fang could do was crumble to her knees and drop Malice weakly to the ground.

Lightning clashes her weapon with the second woman with her new gunblade Heavens Wrath, the woman tried to use similar tactics to her companion but when she tried her weapon shocked her instead of the pink haired soldier. Clicking her teeth in annoyance the woman pushes her weapon harder against the gunblade and sweeps her rod aside to knock Light's out of the way and jabs at her abdomens. It makes solid contact a few times that Light is forced to stagger back, she recovers and charges straight on. Light starts to thrust and swing her weapon in every direction only coming close to striking down her emotionless adversary is when the tip of her blade nips the woman's neck and a small line of blood is made. The elite strikes back with her almond eyes widen in silent fury. Their weapons collide as Light defends and the Elite attacks, Light is forced back as the woman's movement becomes quicker and much swifter. When she sees the pink haired woman left her left side open the Elite swings her rod upward, taking Lights weapon alongside it, and brings a swift powerful kick to her enemies ribs she broke at least two upon impact.

The leader smirks at how pathetic these two are and snaps her fingers together, the snap captures her allies attention and they return to her side like the loyal hounds they were trained to be.

"I thought you two would give more of a fight than this kiddy show you just gave this evening! Since you two were our greateset threats, it seems to me that I was mistaken! And since you rebelled against our wishes I think its time to say goodbye to your friends!" The leader claps her hands together three times and waited to hear the ravished sounds of flesh and bone break and tear apart as blood splattered the field but heard nothing but the wind blowing against the grass. Confused she claps again and still hears nothing. The trio look to where they left their hostages to find the center of the ring of captured beasts empty but with a second, unharmed, Lightning standing in front of the monsters as the Alpha. The Elites eyes widen in shock as they look to the injured then uninjured identical women, the leader growls and snaps at the other Lightning,

"How did you get your friends to escape!? You should have been ripped to shreds!" She cried furiously at the arrival of the other Light. Both Lightnings and Fang smiled evenly as they stand tall, their bodies being enveloped in a powerful brilliant green light, everyone looked to the caster to see the white knight Odin had appeared once more with his twin blades held firmly in one hand and Ullr's shield in the other. The second Light walked toward the three Elites with the beasts slowly following her and stopped a few feet away.

"It was apart of our plan." Champion Light says as she drew her own Lionheart gunblade from her leather holster from the clothing Vanille made for her to make her appear as a free tribe member showing her bare shoulders with her cut white collared that exposed her bandaged midriff, her short shorts covered with a long brown skirt cut from below her right hip down to her knee cap. Her bangles remained on her bicep and so did her black arm warmer but her gloves were gone to reveal her smooth but firm hands with bandages around the knuckles to cover the scars on her hands. Today she didn't wear her boots but it wasn't needed as she was leading a pack of monsters she had trained and familiarized with when she went on her own, ready to give orders to the beasts wen necessary.

"What plan?! You couldn't have stopped anywhere if it meant the life of your friends!" Cried the masked man monotone but loud.

"They didn't need to stop, I was already flying in the air on top of Snow and his companions target they didn't defeat yet at Sulyaa Springs. The wyvern was able to keep up with Bahamut so Fang and Light told me what to do. As they kept you bozos busy I would drop from the ruins and take the chance to get our friends out of the circle. Since I had trained and even tamed these same beasts they see me as their Alpha and will obey every order I give them." Champion Light says coolly. The trio are being surrounded by the very beasts they captured as champion Light waves her blade toward them, the leader starts to feel sweat and fear pulling her body to act out uncontrollably.

"This was never something we wanted, please don't kill us! We, too, have family! we only did this for their welfare! Please! We can help you defeat Barthandalus!"

Fang, Lightning and Champion Lightning advances with the beasts cornering the trio from escaping, the man threw his weapon on high voltage connecting with a swerg droid only to have a King Behemoth replace it. They threw all the bombs and explosives they had to their disposal only to run out of things to throw and their backs pressing into the towering earth. Fang spits disgusted with everything they said and looks at her two companions, the two look at her with equal disgust and to the white knight awaiting orders, then back to the trio. Champion Light pulls her lips into an evil grin and it sends chills down the three's spines as Fang shares the look while Lightning glares venomously at the three.

"That crap won't save you, besides all those innocent people you killed had families. They did things for their welfare and to be sure they were provided for! Yet you still killed them without mercy, why should we give you arses any mercy when you showed none?!" Fang says darkly, the beasts are closing in on the three and tears of fear fell from their eyes as they sensed the end is drawing near.

"Looks like your game is officially over! Odin!" Lightning cries and points her hand skyward, Odin follows his masters orders and summons Thundaga from the heavens and the force crashes upon the Sanctums Elite soldiers and they cry in pain and horror through the smoke. Champion Light flashes her blade at the debris and the monsters attack viciously, tearing and digging their canines and claws into the three's bodies. Blood curdling screams fill the air as blood flew and stained the walls and ground and the beasts mouths and forms. It seemed like hours until the screams stopped and when Champion Light called the beasts off nothing remained of the three but a large splattered bloody stain on the rocky walls and earth and three blood stained broken masks. Odin reverted back to his crystal rose form and Lightning put him away, the three went up the ruins of Yaschaf Massif and found their other companions awake and healed thanks to Odin's healing capability. Fang ran up to Vanille and hugged her in relief, Lightning does the same with Hope and looks relieved to see Snow and Sahz were alright as well.

"Oh crap, Mel!" Fang says taken aback and looks toward the entrance of the ruins where the two left the poisoned teen. Champion Light beats the huntress to Mel and carries her over to the group, when she places Mel on her back she looks so pale and barely holding onto the remaining life she had left that the poison didn't claim, yet. Champion Light places her forehead onto the teens and closes her eyes, she is feeling for something until she feels a steady, but extremely faint, heart beat. She raises her head and looks at Vanille with worry and helplessness in her eyes.

"Is there anything you can do for her? She is my master and the one keeping me alive. If she dies, so will I and so will the promise she made with you and Hope... Please, Vanille..." She says as her voice cracks from worry. Vanille goes over to Mel and examines the wound, that was properly cleaned and dressed, takes a sample of the poison and uses her medic skills to check it. After close examination her forest green eyes widen in horror and turns to face the group.

"This is an extremely fatal poison, one with a very low success rate of curing. One in a billion chance of curing and Mel's survival rate is less than one percent. The ingredients for the medicine is scattered all around Gran Pulse and my best estimate of how long she has left until the poison claims her is maybe by tomorrow early afternoon, maybe early morning. I'm not entirely sure..." Vanille explains to the group, her eyes are becoming blurry with tears, Fang and Light look at each other with guilt and anger but now isn't the time to blame someone right now they need to save their friend.

"Tell us what we need to find." Hope asks sternly feeling the pain of losing someone else close to him while feeling faith is by his side as he waits patiently to know what they need. Vanille wipes her eyes and smiles.

"We need a counter poison from an Amam located within its organs, medicinal leaves that can deal with pain located outside the ruins of Taejin Tower, remember Fang? Those green oval-ish leaves we had to force you to eat when you came back injured from a hunt?" Vanille starts but brings back painful memories to her companion. Fangs eyes darken from the memory and mutter under her breath,

"Those things were evil! As long as I ain't the one eating it then I'll go get 'em."

"Then we will need the tusks of an Adamantoise, the flower from the Flowering Cactars head and a finally the heart of a Neochu. Do whatever it takes to get these for the antidote this poison is much more lethal than you know!" Vanille finishes. Gasping and painful coughing is heard behind the group and Mel is wheezing violently with blood flying from her very pale lips, her body twitches and starts spasming out Vanille rushes to her side and casts curaga to deal with the spasms, Hope was about to join her but she snaps at the boy with tears running down her eyes, pleading him to go with the others.

"I got this! Please, hurry and get the ingredients, we don't have much time!" The group says nothing but watches as their friend continues to suffer, Fang calls Bahamut and turns back to the dark scaled flying beast and takes Snow with her, Lightning calls Odin once more and turns into the golden and alabaster white stallion and takes Hope, Champion Light calls forth a Svarog and takes Sahz with her. The three groups set out to find the needed ingredients and prays they find what they need in time. Vanille watches as her friends go and does her prayer sign with her hands and bows her head.

'Please hurry and return safely... Everyone...'

* * *

My POV:

'The poison continues to spread through my body I am left crippled and lame, I am fortunate that my mind still functions but as my mind remains active so does the pain. Vanille does all she can to help me but even she knows her efforts are futile, I wish I could do something about her tears, they don't suit her. But right now I want to scream, I want to let my lungs free themselves from this pain and weight I carried burden with me but I couldn't so I screamed within my soul waiting for release. I feel as though I can't tell between reality and fantasy, some of my memories have ripples in them when I recall them and the rest are fine still this shouldn't be something I should be concerned about more than my current condition, should I? I look to Vanille for aid who stands a few feet away from me, sometimes I forget she can't hear me and I sink into despair, and she seems like she's praying. I struggle to move but the noise of shuffling just caught her attention, she comes by me and tries to keep me from moving by placing her hands on my shoulders but electricity appears from her touch and shocks the red head, she howls in pain as smoke comes from her palms that when she lets go her hands are scarred black.

'Oh, shit! What the hell just happened!? Did I just hurt Vanille!?' I asked myself in shock upon seeing her hands. The hell did I do?!

"That was very strange..." Her voice becomes soft as tears fall from her eyes and she whimpers softly. She looks at me and tries to smile.

"Don't worry it's nothing, I'm fine Mel." She says trying to reassure everything is okay but she can't fool my eyes anymore, something must be going on in her head but what?

Vanille grabs a roll or two of gauze and begins to wrap the material over her burned hands, as she nimbly works with it she lets out a long sigh and looks at the sky.

"So much has happened in such a short amount of time..." The red head says then looks back at me again, her face changed to something of desperation and guilt. As she spoke her voice cracked and sounded terribly sad and alone, something that doesn't suit her as much as her tears,

"Can you keep a secret?... Years ago when Fang and I were chosen to become Ragnorak I ran away. I couldn't face the fact I was going to kill innocent people and their blood would run on my hands, I thought that if I just ran away then things would have been better, that Fang would have forgotten our focus and run after me. But she didn't, Fang thought about killing the _Vipers _than chasing me, instead she was ready to slaughter others who didn't come and strike so she did it first and began the War of Transgression. When we entered crystal stasis it was odd considering Cocoon still floats within the clouds that we didn't complete our focus, now we know. To be honest when I pretended to forget my focus when Fang couldn't I thought things would change even though we still had our brands, in the end she still pursued her task while I dragged so many innocent people down with me. That's all I ever dream about, the nightmares I have continue to haunt me for what I had done. Now I don't want to run anymore, I want to overcome this fear and save Cocoon whatever the cost. I pray that we can be forgiven for everything we all had committed..."

My mind couldn't process this all but this must be the truth she held inside, the reasons she had to protect those she cared for to only bring trouble with her. I was so ignorant to everything when I thought I heard it all from everyone but I guess I was terribly mistaken, hopefully your prayer comes true. Vanille sits down beside and watches the horizon, though it was still dark who knows how long it will take for the sun to rise. When I felt too weak to remain awake I closed my eyes and heard Nille say something to herself almost like she's telling it to me,

"Just have to have faith in ourselves and in the others..."

* * *

A/N: Fang: So, that what happened with your end huh?

Vanille: Yup! .

Fang: So that was just your own interpretation of what was going in through her head before you added the events that went on between you two in our absence?

Vanille: Yes.

Fang: Fair enough. Well this chapter is done, please leave a comment, review, question, etc. And me and Nille will try and get back to ya as soon as possible! Hopefully by the next chapter Ultimatum is behind bars or better in an insane asylum and Legacy is safe and sound back here in the studio with us.

Vanille: I agree, so thank you all to the viewers and see you all until next time;

Fang and Vanille: Ciao!


	24. running out of time

"The fabled beast stares intently into my eyes with murder in its own. Pain and fear creeps into my heart as I run the other way, trying so desperately hard to escape the sounds of bone like claws tearing the metal walkways as it came for me. I just ran as hard as I could, my lungs and eyes burning from my fear my footsteps hitting the metal walkways was drowned out from the loud thumping of my racing heart. I looked back to see only the steam escaping the metal steam punks from this over world labyrinth trapped within this dark cathedral. I felt the heat of my panic had soared higher than the heavens come down to earth as I leaned my back against the ruined faded grey walls beside the large metal pipes trying to catch my breath. My eyes and ears looking dangerously hard for the beast but when all was still I relaxed. To my own downfall it was the final mistake I would make. The heat of fire rose and my eyes snapped open staring at the fiery void in front of me, the demon of hell found me and I am cornered as a whip of flames entangle me in a net of brim stone and sulfur. Blood colored eyes meet my own ocean blue eyes and with an evil grin it pulls the net in toward the void.

"One way to hell." The demon says in a deep and growling tone. I try to scream as I saw the souls of the damned screeching and crying oh so hard for someone to help them escape their sins but when I saw that hell was taking me all I could do was cry.

* * *

Serah: Fang? What on Cocoon are you reading?

Fang: Legacy's old story books she made up from when she was in the seventh grade to early eleventh grade. I went snooping around through her things because I got bored waitin' for Nille to come back from the Super Market with Hope and from, what was that place called again?, Wal-mart? I think?

Serah: Are you serious? You two were in charge of continuing the story!

Fang: I know, Pinky Jr. I know... Hey! Since your here, would you like to help me out with the next chapter?

Serah: I had a feeling that you were going to ask me... Can't you do the next chapter on your own?

Fang: Nope, I'm a very slow typer and I make a crap load of mistakes, thus the reason Vanille is with me when we start but she ain't here. Could you please help me and review my work for any mistakes and what not?

Serah: *Sigh* Alright, I'll help you. But you have to promise that you'll help teach me how to use my Bow-Blade since Light isn't here at the moment, okay?

Fang: Deal, thank Lady Luck! Thank you Pinky two.

Serah: Alright, now tell me what happened and I'll see what I can do.

Fang: Okay, well it started out like this with me and Snow going after the Neochu...

* * *

Fangs POV:

The brown furry creature with those white vine like whiskers surrounded with miniature forms of itself, only very pale white instead of brown as to their larger leader, was resting within Titan's stronghold. Titan had its back to me and Blondie so we just landed Bahamut by the C'ieth stone that could take us back to the very beginning and led us to the lair of the Neochu.

"Why are we going after that thing? Its way different compared to its weaker counter part, the Ochu. I think we should have gone after the disgusting leaves first then this." I asked Snow as we hid behind those large uprooted roots from the trees that surrounded the area. Snow just looked at the skies and I remembered that we don't have much time to talk it over.

"It would be best to go after the big guy first so when we are done with it we can go after whatever else we need the others didn't collect yet. Don't you think that's a smart plan, Fang?" He asked me, he sounded upset but I was never good at picking up on peoples emotions other than Vanille's so I just nodded. Before Snow had a chance to jump out from our hiding spot I reached for his trench coats collar and pulled him to the ground back behind the roots because I just remembered something.

"Hey! Why'd ya pull me down for?" He asked while I was busy looking through my pack. It took me a minute until I pulled out these icy blue pair of gloves that gave off a white mist showing how freaking cold it was in my hand I thought I was getting frost bites because of it.

"This is what me and Light found in the place at Sulyaa Springs. You are the ice guy in the group so it was best to give these to ya. Try em out!" I told the guy as he pulled his regular black gloves off and slipped his hands into the pair I handed to him. He didn't shudder from the cold as I did but once the gloves were on Snow looked more than ready to take on our target.

"Lets do this, Fang!" He cried with that goofy grin on his face then charged straight for the Neochu with em following suit as I brought Malice from my own holster.

"GET UP ALREADY SLEEPING BEAUTY! NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU SLEEP YOU STILL LOOK UGLY!" Snow shouted loudly, loud enough to catch the the Picochu's attention. The little Picochu's started screeching just as loud as Snow yelled and awakened the Neochu from it's sleep. It's beady little eyes rolled around and when it seemed awake it looked at us and screeched loudly in rage. I smirked with glee when it woke up.

"This is going to be fun!" I cried happily, I jumped into the air by using my lance to pole vault myself up and then I slammed my weapon onto the ground hard the force started to shake the earth. The Picochus started panicking and started to plead to their leader but before it had the chance to give them whatever it was they wanted the force from my lance continued to shake the earth, I smiled as the earth started to create little bumps of earth heading toward the Neochu until the bumps started to grow into large moving pillars of earth the size of a Humbaba on its hind legs shot up from the ground and stabbed the Picochus first then sent the Neochu flying into the air.

"Snow catch it!" I cried as I saw him running toward the Neochu.

"How do I do that?!" He cried out to me.

"I don't know! Try hitting the air with your fists see what happens!" I shout in reply back to him. Snow nods as he continues to run, he slides across the dirt on the soles of his boot, pulls his right fist back and right hooks the air. As he did that a large ray of ice started to shoot from his fist in a similar manner his Eidolon, Shiva, had done in Palumpolum when he was calling the twin sisters out from their crystal form. The blast left a just as huge of a trail behind it nearly covering the area in ice, the Neochu started to descend from its flight and headed straight for the blast. It screeched loudly once more forcing me and Snow to cover our ears to block out the screeching, the loud noise was able to shatter the ice blast and so did the trail it landed back on its 'flippers' but it failed and slipped on something forcing it to its back with a loud thud and whimper full of pain. When I saw that thing slip I couldn't hold in my laughter and I just burst out laughing loudly, Snow was trying to catch my attention but I couldn't help but ignore him. It was just funny in my opinion. When my laughter died down the Neochu got back to its feet, its little eyes were glaring at me but I made it more pissed off by sticking my tongue out at it. It screeched much louder than normal and the ground shook beneath our feet.

"Fang!" Snow cried at me with his eyes glaring at me, I shrugged my shoulders and said,

"What? It had it coming, besides as Lightning says, 'keep your own eyes front', Blondie! We just need to stop playing games with it and beat the crap out of it without much trouble." Snow reluctantly sighs and nods, he stands ready in his fighting pose as I bring Malice in front of me. As the ground continued to shake thousands of Picochus erupt from the ground, the Neochu looking at us with satisfaction in its tiny eyes. I twirl my lance above my head in both hands, gradually picking up speed and cried out to the army of pulsian beasts,

"Like this'll stop us! Snow!"

Snow jumps into the air and slams his fist into the ground encasing everything in ice and icy stalagmites using his Sovereign Fist attack wiping out more than half of the Picochus. I smirk at this as the rest start to panic and go to the leader for help but it just looks around confused. When I could feel wind blowing from above my head I threw my lance like Hope when he throws his boomerang and darkness swirls around my lance. It was an attack I tried to emulate from Lightnings Razor Gale when she held Zantetsuken in her hands whilst in Gesalt mode with Odin just by using my own weapon of choice. As it got closer it swept everything in darkness devouring anything that touched or came near the razor sharp opaque void surrounding Malice, it was doing the same thing it did when I confronted those three elite Sanctum soldiers when the bullets of shadows turned into a void and ate whatever it touched like the earth it came in contact with just about an hour or less ago. The Picochus were history and shaking in fear was our main target,

"Ready to take our prize Snow?" I asked as we got the thing cornered in one of the areas by one of the Cie'th stones. He cracked his knuckles and nods with the same grin on his face.

"I can handle this, Fang." He says walking ahead of me and I let him. Snow stood firmly, his left leg forward while his right arm is pulled back slowly inch by inch. When he was ready he pushed his left foot forward a bit and drove his right fist forward knocking the wind away with his power, a large ice pillar drove itself into the Neochus body and it no longer moved not even let out a screech of pain from the hit. The ice shattered and the Neochu fell dead, Snow clambered up its body and extracted the heart of the dead creature that was still intact.

"What does Vanille need with this disgusting thing?" Blondie asks as he holds the, no longer beating, grey and tan heart of the Neochu with strange goop and foul smelling liquid falling off of it with heavy squishy thuds, his face turning barf green in his cheeks, I step away a few feet and shout over to him.

"Don't know! But we need to make sure it stays clean! Wrap it up with your jacket will ya?!"

At first he looked ready to protest but didn't since we didn't exactly have the time to do so. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around the heart looking disgusted and upset. I called Bahamut from its crystal form and kneeled on its mighty back, I rubbed its head now and then apologizing to it for calling it out so many times, then I helped Snow up. Bahamut beated its wings and we were airborne, I told Blondie that we were going to go after the medicina amara, or 'Bitter Medicine', the herbs Nille asked us to collect near Taejins Tower. True those herbs had brought back terrible memories but they sure did their job great, as the sky began to grow brighter my own heart started to twist and tighten inside of me. I always asked myself this and never came up with an answer but why is it always Mel? She doesn't even exist in our world yet she carries the most burden of us all when it was our focus and our lives hanging in the balance of damnation or success. It made no sense to me, I was never into this sort of stuff just hunting and protecting my home and my family.

'Shit... This much problems makes my head hurt, we wouldn't need to make these rounds if only Mel could use her magic in her arm to heal herself from the poison. Why couldn't she?' I wondered to myself as I let my own thoughts drift and take away my attention from steering. We nearly hit a few Svworgs and Adamantortosies along the way but we made it to Taejins Tower. Right near the edge of the canyon were the only green life could be seen beyond the barren tan wasteland.

"Down there..." I said as I pointed downward near the first open land, my voice had no enthusiasm at all. When we landed softly, dirt created clouds under Bahamut, Snow volunteered to wait with my Eidolon as I went to collect the leaves. The green bush looked the same only the area wasn't as abundant as it once was many years ago, the leaves looked the same in shape of an Alraunes leaves on its back but instead of the slug like creatures own leaf color it was light and dark green with red diamond shape embedded from the stem to the tip of the leaf. I picked several cloves, enough to make the ointment last for a month, and headed back.

"We should head back, the others should be done by now. We've been gone for about a few hours, suns coming up soon." I say as I jumped back on Bahamuts back.

"Lets head back, Bahamut!" I cried and he obeyed.

The whole ride back to Yaschas Massif was dead silent save for the wind whistling through the air and Bahamut growling here and there, the sun continued to rise until I could see the very top of the sun from the horizon on my left. The sky was getting brighter and blue-pink hues were turning to sky blue from where the sun was peaking. I averted my gaze away from the light and looked forward I still felt angry at myself, I told her to keep watch but it cost her her life and Lindzei is about to claim it.

"Fang, everything will be alright." I heard Snow say behind me, I didn't care I felt responsible and everything was my fault.

I ignored Blondie, I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed deeply with guilt.

"You know, Lightning told me shes just as stubborn as you and her and me put together. Mel that is. Sis said that no matter what she made it out of many life threatening situations, this is one of them, she'll pull through. Besides, Mel took the risk to keep you and Light safe that time, you aren't to blame for what happened." Snow says once more, the words didn't sink in but they sank more deeper into my thoughts than his first several attempts. I actually felt better.

"Thanks Blondie. Maybe I should stop and think for a bit instead of worrying and regretting huh?" I tell him but, surprisingly, he remained quiet for the remainder of the trip.

* * *

When me and Snow returned to the ruins of Paddra in Yaschas Massif where we left Nille and Mel at the others made it back but in much worse state than we were in with our minor cuts and bruises. Bahamut returned and we caught up with everyone else. Vanille was the very first to greet us back, she made sure we were alright since we arrived last and smiled. I gave her the ingredients need for the antidote and she began to work under the shade of the ruined building that still served its purpose as a shelter.

"What took you so long?" Eidolon Light asks in a worried and irritated tone, her blue eyes glared at me and Snow as we came by the rest of the party. She looked beaten badly with both her arms bandaged up from her palms to below her shoulders, the bridge of her nose was bandaged, the real Lightning was in no better shape than her counterpart; her entire arms were wrapped up and her overcoat was removed and exposed her bandaged midriff and so was her left leg. Hope still had his right leg bandage up since his fight with Alexander, his right arm was wrapped up too with an improvised sling, and Sahz had his coat and under shirt off and his whole torso was bandaged as was his shoulders and forearms. Other than that everyone was alive and kicking.

"Rough day?" I asked smirking trying to beat the depression away.

"Don't even get me started with how our morning went." Sahz said waving his arms around to emphasize his point using whatever range his arms could give him from his restricted shoulders.

"We were practically ambushed by some Cie'th that came out of nowhere, almost didn't make it out alive if not for the Wyverns and Flans that came by when I called them." Champion Light explained their situation.

I tried to listen to the conversations being exchanged with everyone but when I looked over to Light she shared the same guilt I had before and she looked much different than these months had shown.

"Fang! Everyone! I need you all here, please!" Vanille's cries broke my thoughts and we all moved toward the decimated building where Vanille and Mel were. We gathered around and Vanille had a bead of sweat falling from her brow.

"I need you all to hold her down while I give her the antidote..." She says softly.

"It will cause her to thrash and attack due to the bitterness and burning sensation as it slides down her throat but it will save her." We all looked at each other and nodded someone holding down Mel's arms and legs, anything she would use to hit someone. I held down her shoulders in case she would hit Vanille through the process. Vanille had a clay bowl in her hands with bluish grey liquid in it, I gulped and was ready for the attack. Vanille tipped the clay cup forward allowing the liquid to fall, it looked like water flowing like a river but sounded like muck and slime, as the liquid fell into Mel's lips her pale bloodshot brown eyes opened brutally wide and choked terribly on the liquid she was coughing more violently than ever. Her arms were exposed since Nille removed her jacket, her muscles bulged and her veins did too as she tried to thrash free. Her right right arm broke free and backhanded Snow he was sent flying a few feet, Lightning took his place while he recovered and took her spot by Mel's legs, the cup was almost gone and she wouldn't stop thrashing nor coughing but I felt bad for her that she's going through this much pain. In the next minute the cup was nearly empty but her left leg broke free and kicked Hope right in the gut, her left arm broke free and slapped Vanille in the face and she was knocked into the ground face first. The cup was empty by then but rage filled within me and I pulled Mel from the ground and drove my fist into her chest, she let out a forced grunt as she was forced into the ground.

"You may be sick but you never, EVER, hit your friends like that. Especially VANILLE!" I shouted in anger, my voice shook and cracked. I went over to Nille as she held her right cheek and tears of not pain fell from her eyes.

"I'm alright Fang but you shouldn't have punched her that way you know? It was the medicine not her..." Vanille tells me, her expression was hard to read. I looked at my hands away from her gaze, what is wrong with me? I'm just trying to keep you safe Nille. Maybe this much tension or whatever is getting to me.

I watched Vanille make her way over to Mel after she castes curaja on herself, Snow and Hope and I followed suit. Mel was calm again breathing a little shallow but more than before, her snow pale face regained a little color in her cheeks, and didn't look like she was in too much pain moments before.

"The medicine will take affect soon but, like everything we have faced to make it this far, it will be a test of will power..." Vanille says soon after and walks outside, I heard another pair of footsteps following after her but I didn't bother to look up and see who else left. I wanted to follow her too but it would be better if I gave her some space for now.

"Whats with that face, Fang? You sulking?" I looked up to see the real Lightning sitting across from me on Mel's right side, our eyes didn't meet this time when we would talk but she was looking downward to the kid. I scoffed,

"Sulking? That word ain't in my vocabulary, never has been and never will. Just... Reflecting. Maybe I should have been more careful or something so none of this would have happened, but as Kid would have put it, 'We can never be sure what lies ahead of us so we look at it straight in the eyes and take it head on without showing our fear or hesitation.' Still, would have been nice to know what that thing could have done." I told Pinky who remained silent. I looked to the ground but noticed Lights abdomens were bandaged and there was a little fresh and a little dry blood on her left abdomen.

"What happened to you?" I asked, curious. Lightning looks at me then to her stomach and lightly chuckles.

"This? Me and Hope were ambushed by these strange creatures, none we have encountered before, and barely made it out with our lives. We managed to lose the creatures after collecting our selected ingredients but I had a nasty wound on my stomach that when I showed Vanille upon return she told me it will become a permanent scar that will never fade. It actually reopened when I was in battle with one of the monsters, it wasn't serious then until I was stabbed." She explains as her hand rested on her stomach. There was nothing more to talk about and the others went outside leaving me, Light and Mel alone within these ruins. I tried to block the guilt away trying to tell myself that this was meant to be, a part of destines design, that it couldn't have been avoided but that wasn't something I would do to trick myself.

"Hey, Fang?" I heard Light say breaking the silence.

"Yea'?" I ask in turn curtly.

"Did I ever tell you how much this kid reminded me of Serah?" She asks softly, not something I would hear from her.

"No. How does she remind you of Serah?" I ask, curiosity getting the bes of me today.

At first she was hesitant to speak, her free hand gently held her necklace, but soon after spoke.

"She was able to break down my barriers that I held up to keep people from getting in like my sister, made me feel safe and showed me that what I do and what I did wasn't just reckless or rash choices, made me see what I have done and how I could fix it... I felt... Important... and I was able to trust again without hesitating to make that first move. Even after the confusion when I couldn't tell what kind of person she was in ways she is similar to Serah... I had someone there, although you all were here as well and I trust you all like the family me and Serah no longer had, to keep the shadows away..."

I listened intently after she abruptly stops talking but something caught my attention, something fell from her cheeks;

They were tears. More were falling slowly from her eyes, I was full of shock by this and didn't know what to do. From what I had been told she would always go to Mel for something when we couldn't help... I looked at Mel once more and thought,

'Moron... You got the other bad ass hero to break down... Never thought and interloper from another world would do this much for people she never met nor understood until experiencing everything we went through..."

"Shes not a bad kid you know? Does things in a more diplomatic but overpowering way that would make the Sanctum look at her and think, 'what the hell?', but in her own way that she would tear down the sky if it meant returning home and setting things right once more." Lightning says a minute later, her blue eyes weren't red nor pink but you could tell she shed a few tears. I smiled to that, no wonder her Eidolon is the way she is because she is in a way reflecting her summoner. I looked at the skies full of Wyverns and smiled.

'You better get better Mel, because if you die I will go beyond the veil and drag you back to your body and force you to stay if anyone of our friends cries over you ya hear?' I thought to myself, I looked at her pale face and grinned when I thought I saw a ghost of a smile on her own face.

* * *

A/N: Serah: And... Done! There you go Fang, now you should be able to update now.

Fang: Thanks Pinky Jr. Well I gotta go, be back! *Attempts to leave.*

Serah: Okaaayy? *looks at computer screen and sees a message on the corner and reads it.* Fang!

Fang: YEA'?

Serah: Vanille wants to talk to you on the computer, like right now.

Fang: *Returns to the typing room her expression is grim.* Yea?

Vanille: Fang... I noticed that you didn't keep up with the schedule of updating, what on Pulse have you been doing all this time?

Fang:...

Vanille: Serah, please leave the room?

Serah: Sure, laters. *Leaves the room and closes the door behind her. When the door closes she walks upstairs to the living room of her replicated home within the studio and sees Lightning, Sahz, Snow and Legacy on the couches.* Your back Legacy! Where have you been?

AeonLegacy: Lost! I've been wandering the ruins of some strange place after I escaped Ultimatum but I managed to find my way back home.

*Hears incoherent shouting from downstairs.*

Snow: Looks like Fang is getting more than an ear full today.

Lightning: Well since Legacy has returned, want to do the honors again? *Holds microphone you attach to your ear.*

Legacy: Sure. *puts headset in ear.* Okay. Well hopefully this was a good chapter, hopefully the last few chapters were good as Fang and Vanille were in my place to continue, I thank them and will when they come upstairs later on, and thanks to everyone who have read, followed, Favorited, reviewed, etc. "May I be lost or reborn?" It means so much to me especially since the story almost has 5000 views! So, until next time, Ciao!


	25. Reunion 1

A/N: Hey there everybody it's me AeonLegacy once again finally back home from wherever I've been. Well there isn't much to be said in the viewing box other than Fang needs to time manage her priorities so she won't get lectured by Vanille, but from all the screaming I doubt that she was being lectured. Anyways, enjoy, and lets see what happens during the groups reunion. With who? We will find out soon enough.

* * *

Omni POV:

It had been a few weeks since the group had given their interloper friend the antidote to the poison. During those few weeks Fang and Vanille were teaching their companions from Cocoon the ways they did on Gran Pulse long ago as telling them the stories of Legends, history and what their clans thought of war of Transgression. Eidolon Lightning always stared at the sky with her expression very grim yet when her thoughts were broken she would appear unreadable, and when the third week was about to begin she had enough and had to let out her thoughts.

"We have to get to Oerba, now. I can't shake this feeling anymore and its coming from the north, damn it." She says as she paces around within the ruined building back and forth, the flames of the camp fires reflected in her blue eyes full of rage and unease. Mel had listened to her rant for some time but listened intently to her Eidolon, her back rested against a sturdy cement pillar with a faded wool blanket over her lower body to block the cold air, and sighed.

"Light, I understand that you want to get things done and that Barthandalus is still a threat out there. But think this over, are you sure you want to go through this alone? What will you accomplish if you go out impulsively like this?" The young teen asks, sounding tired and out of breath from speaking. Champion Light remains quiet for a time and swings her arms forcefully down to her sides in anger.

"Fine! Then you tell me what to do! Do you want me to go or not!?" She cries out to the teen, their eyes meeting and neither falters even when the tension and fire bored themselves into Mel's thoughts. Again she sighs and patted the ground beside her, Light was reluctant at first but succumbed to the gesture and sat beside her summoner with her arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees.

"Must I get lectured now? I just can't keep in my thoughts anymore, Mel... You said so yourself, Barthandalus could be preparing something huge while we stay here getting stronger. If anyone dies I will never forgive anyone and I will go after that damn Fal'cie myself." The Eidolon says without making eye contact anymore and her voice lowered to a whisper. Mel pats her on the back a few times softly and says calmly,

"Yeah, _could _be planning something big. Key word there is **_could_ **be I didn't say that he was Light. Ever since I arrived here to this world the events are altered and it is my responsibility to fix this mess that I started just because fate had a different route for me to take. But before we get to Barthandalus we have to get pass the guardian of Taejin tower, Dahaka. It won't allow us to land Bahamut in Oerba while it lives, so we have to work our way up there okay?" She explains to the reckless woman, champion Light just sighs and nods in agreement.

"When do we leave then?" The pinknette asks in a low voice. Mel nods and says,

"Right now. If we get there before the sun rises we can get pass the monsters wandering the dirt road there."

The woman releases her hold of her legs and stretches them out with her arms are used as support to keep her from falling over and looked at her friend wide eyed.

"Right now!? Why? Even if we encounter anything there I could command it to follow my will, besides Vanille says you can't walk on your own for another week or two." Mel looks at her companion straight in the eye, her resolve steeling her gaze making it appear fiercer, and says in a low but confident tone,

"I don't care if I can't walk on my own yet, I'll simply use the power of flight to get around, and I won't just remain here resting while a crazy Artificial Intelligence created by this 'Maker' is still on the loose waiting to wreak havoc to the people caught up in this twisted goal of his. We make the first move now, the others will understand since we've been on borrowed time since we were all branded and I think there brands, save for Fang, are advancing so we must go tonight. The sun will arrive the few hours when we get there on foot and when we make it through the tower to the very top we will have enough sunshine to see our enemy and finally hit Oerba, you following me so far? You understand?"

Champion Light felt cold and afraid for that moment as those brown eyes bore into her own making her fear for her somewhat non-existent life. She nods slowly and Mel smiles which brings the woman's fear down.

"Okay, I'll tell the others." Mel says reaching for her handmade crutches, Light helped her to her feet with a forced and painful grunt escaping her lips but when the teen was leveled evenly with her support she slowly made her way outside in the fiery, winter cold, night toward the main camp. The six main L'cie were all around the main camp fire talking stories and Fang making wise crack jokes at the real Lightning who had been very patient with the free and laid back woman and nearly knocked her lights out with her fist but remained calm and level headed. The group didn't hear their two companions approach until the sound of metal clicked against the dirt against the ruined tiles of the Padrean ruins within Yaschas Massif. Snow turned his head to the right to see Mel and Champion Light coming their way.

"Hey you two! Ready to finally join us?" He asks in a carefree tone, his goofy smile still on his face. Champion Light glared at the blond man at first and ignored him then took a seat beside the woman she somehow copied in appearance.

"Geez, touchy much? What put you in bad shape?" Fang asks Champion Light as she rested her arm on her shoulder only to get a glare from the replicated woman as her response.

"What's got her in such bad mood, Mel? Is it the time of the season or something?" The huntress asks before her joke, nobody laughed nor understood what she meant. Mel took her seat next to Vanille with a blank expression on her face but her eyes said she wasn't in the mood for games or jokes.

"Fang, put all the joking aside and listen, the only reason she's like that is because of Barthandalus. And he's waiting for us in you and Vanilles home village; Oerba." Mel says straight to the point. Everyone was quiet and tension returned upon hearing the name of the parties sworn enemy. Their expressions became hard and cold from his name being spoken.

"If we don't act now then we will be leaving those people in his _**care.**_We need to leave and get past the trials of Taejins Tower, Fang you think you could fly us at the entrance?"

Fang nods and cracks her knuckles with her smirk returning.

"Yea' I heard you and Pinky number two chitchatting in the house, with Dahaka alive we won't be able to get to our home village with that thing flying around. And we won't be able to make it to Barthandalus either."

"Exactly, and we need to leave right now. I'd prefer we leave immediately so we can have time to recuperate at your house, when the sun reaches high in the clouds that is when our showdown with the Fal'cie begin." Mel explains once more.

"Looks like we have to leave our little paradise then, huh?" Sahz asked nonchalantly as everyone in the party gave him a simple nod. The party all stood to their feet and extinguished the flames of their camp and headed out of the Paddrean ruins, in the direction of Oerba walking amongst the shadows of the night.

* * *

Champion Lights' POV:

We arrived to the top of Taejins tower completing the missions that required us to complete to fix the musical elevator. As the musical chiming notes continued to play as we ascended to the peak of the tower, everyone was anxious but it was much harder to tell but I had to focus on the task at hand and when the door opened we walked calmly toward the center platform basking in the first light of morning. The six L'cie walked a few steps ahead of me and Mel so we watched the end.

"Dahaka is close, I can smell it nearby." Mel says in a low tone, her eyes looked more feral than normal.

"You can smell it? Anything you wanna share with us, Mel?" I ask her calmly trying not to show my growing fear in those fearful animal eyes. She only nods my way.

"Yeah, something evil too. A dark and heavy feeling like something is sitting behind you in the dark and you think it's a monster pressing against you but in reality it's only a kitten. Your darkest fears, your dangerous imaginations are coming in play it feels like your nightmares are becoming real. That sort of heavy sensation. Stay sharp Light, I need you." Mel tells me and I nod her way. When we caught up with the others and Dahaka appears before us, the Lizard thing as Mel called it, shoots up from out of nowhere and shrieks sending gales of wind through the air cutting both out flesh and stone. I hear a cry of surprise and turned around to see Mel was blown back due to her lack of ability to use her legs at the moment and hits the stone wall behind us and doesn't move. I want to help my summoner but I can't, I tell the others to stand ready and they do ready to win.

* * *

Omni POV:

The seven party members began to do a frontal assault sending spells and spells of every element at Dahaka but doesn't seem to be effected by the attacks. It courses through the air and places itself in the center platform and swipes its massive arms at the L'cie. The Sentinels, Snow and Fang, managed to use SteelGuard in time to defend the attacks protecting the other four from getting swiped at. Dahaka screeched lowly, almost like a growl, that it didn't hit anything so it decided to hover in the air several meters high and used the attack; Fulminous Firestorm.

Orange red waves start glowing from its mouth and sends down hails of large fire stones the size of several office desks fused together down to the earth in merely seconds. Lightning grabbed Hope by his over shirts collar and drags him out of the way while Sahz grabs Vanille and carries her under his arm start to run out of the blast zone leaving Snow and Fang behind. The attack dawns upon the two Sentinels stuck in SteelGuard spells closed their eyes when darkness and heat enveloped them in a large blast of smoke and fire of several flaming stones from the large creature.

"Fang! Snow!" Hope and Vanille cried simultaneously upon seeing their friends taking a huge amount of damage. When the smoke and blaze cleared Snow and Fang were still standing strong thanks to their SteeGuard spell and Hope and Sahzs' protection spells of Shellra, Protectra and Haste. Though they wouldn't leave the fight without a few burn marks on their clothes and flesh.

"We're alright! This ain't nothing, we can take it no problem!" Snow says in a reassuring, almost cocky, way. Fang draws her lance, with Snow standing in his battle stance, and charges straight at Dahaka in a much quicker speed they usually would move at.

"We ain't the same blokes you guys think we were then, lets do it Snow!" Fang cries and pole vaults herself in the air at the creature, Dahaka tries to hit the Huntress in the air but misses as she roles her body to the side and stabs her lance into Dahaka's armored hand deep enough to stand on top of its hand. Dahaka, infuriated, tries to shake Fang off but fails to do so as she strongly grips the links holding on to dear life crawling her way up its arm going for the head leaving behind her weapon. Meanwhile Snow sends stalagmites the size of multiple Ice boxs (aka: the refrigerator) stacked on each other though pointed at the end stabs Dahaka through its other arm, dark green blood explodes from the other end and trickles profusely down the frozen stalagmite stuck in its wounded arm and starts to freeze the arm it damaged. Fang then manages to reach Dahaka's head and aimed both hands directly aimed for its eyes as she jumps off of its curved and pointed golden snout saying cooly,

"Wateraga, Firaga!"

Water and fire erupted from her palms but they didn't come separately in just one hand, both palms conjured spheres of growing water with fire encircling the liquid like an atom and blasts it right in the eyes creating pain and thick heavy white fog in its face. When the huntress regrouped with the Snow her lance, Malice, no longer was in Dahaka's arm but it returned in a wave of light in Fangs hands.

"Whoa that was amazing!" Vanille cried in glee at her two friends, true the display was impressive and everyone was greatly amazed. Champion Light watched beside her look alike and a bead of sweat trickled down from her temple and witnessed the growth of two out of the six L'cie and wondered how much stronger did the rest get?

"Screeeech!"

The party all looks at Dahaka as it released a loud screech of rage as it became more pissed off now that it was useless with its charred and smoking dark eyes and lame left arm. Before the entire party went to confront it Vanille and Sahz ran up to it first and got ready to fight it.

"I'm not all smiles and sunshine, I'll show you how much stronger I got!" Vanille cries happily in her cheery tone but her expression was ready and focused with her wind based wand. Sahz drew his flaming dual pistols and sighed heavily,

"We can't seem to catch a break, but like the little lady said we ain't as weak as we look."

Sazh then attacks first using his Cold Blood attack, seventeen bullets of lava hot bullets fly from the pistols and into Dahaka's flesh fire in born upon impact and so does pure white smoke. Vanille switched from Medic to Saboteur and casts spells of Deprotectra, Slowga and Imperilga. Dahaka starts to flail around with body spasms due to the deprotect and slow spell but what really took a bad hit was imperil, when it glowed dark and waves of blue appeared for a brief moment Dahaka was vulnerable to magic damage now.

"Alright! Take this!" Vanille cried cheerfully as she changed her role as a Saboteur to Ravager, Sahz doing the same from his Commander role to Ravager, and starts to spam all of their strongest tier level spells and similar to Fang their spells combined and became a whole lot more fun. Dahaka at the time was charging a spell to use to counteract against its enemies own spells but couldn't as something stirred within it that its spell was automatically canceled before it was used. From the savage blaze of spells Dahaka fell and bright golden yellow light engulfed its entire body indicating it was staggered and more likely to take double the damage than before thanks to Vanille's Imperil spell. Before Sahz and Vanille had a chance to attack the fallen enemy Lightning, Champion Light and Hope storm in charging with a barrage of spells and bullets heading its way.

"Our turn." Champion Light says and brings her Lionheart gunblade out. Hope casts spells similar to Vanille and Fang only when he conjured Aeroga the ball of wind turned into a huge twister engulfing Dahaka in the eye of the storm and spat it out like a flavorless gum wad. When it let out a grunt of pain both Lightnings charges and swings their weapons diagonally creating an X on its face. The light starts to shimmer and waver telling the party it will recover and attack the two lookalikes switched to their Ravager role and started to use 'Army of One'.

"Take this!" They cried as they started to slash with their swords, somersaulting and landing with kicks, swinging their weapons sideways a few times and finally twisting their bodies and weapons around doing a 720 degree turn with grace and ease. After Army of One was over Dahaka was mortally wounded but was still ready to kill, it screeched and reached its usable arm out toward the party of three and grabs Lightning in its hand. She struggles to wriggle free and tried stabbing its fingers but was already too numb to feel the pain and couldn't feel anything. It looked at her then squeezes tightly breaking the pinknettes legs until she howled in pain. Fang ran full tilt with hatred burning in her eyes and used her Highwind attack, when she launched herself in the air and her lance above her head and used the powerful attack to clean cut through the beasts forearm off freeing her companion from it clutches. Fang caught her friend but they weren't home free yet, Dahaka summoned a single shot of its firestorm attack and aimed at the women. Stuck in midair Fang becomes the Sentinel and uses SteelGuard to protect Light from the blast of fire and they were knocked out of the air and launched to the platform with and explosion. Fang blocked Light from getting hurt any further but ended with the huntress hitting her head causing her to black out and Light couldn't stand on her feet to help at the moment. Vanille and Hope were the best Medics so they went over to the Huntress and SOLDIER to heal them while the remaining party members went against the enemy with whatever numbers they had left. Snow summoned Shiva and Sahz summoned Brynhilder to buy some time for champion Light to take control of the situation, the Eidoliths attacked but Dahaka can read their attacks and blasts Shiva with. Firestorm and sends them flying back in a white explosion almost appearing melted and crashed into Snow sending the three figures back further from the fight and the summoner and summoned beings out cold. Brynhilder absorbs the fire spell and sent it back to the sender who gets hit with its own attack. It swipes it stub at the Eidolon who uses its weapon to jump over and avoid the hit, then Dahaka head buts the fire monster and slams it in the ground several time the crater growing greater and greater with every hit. When it stopped Sahz went to his allies aid but didn't reach Brynhilder in time and got struck with a very powerful Thundaga and fell to the ground with blood pooling from his nose and ears with a thud as he starts to twitch violently in pain and horror.

Champion Lightning sees she is alone and feels afraid at this monstrosities amazing will power to continue fighting despite being wounded as bad as it is and still took out her party. She stares at the impending doom lurking above her head and hangs her head, dropping her weapon and onto her knees.

'Its no use... I can't fight alone, I was never good at one on one things without someone, something, aiding me...' C.L. Thinks to herself, raising her head to look at the creature before her. Her blue eyes burning with fear and hate swirling together.

"But it doesn't mean I can't end this fight!" She says loudly to herself almost as if she's telling her friends. Dahaka readies a spell made from its Thudaga, Firaga, Wateraga and adds Haste to itself. Champion Light screams in defiance as a large fire glow swirls around her turning the heavens red and dispersing the clouds above her.

'Lady Etro, bless me with the power you granted me since birth to end this fight, to protect those precious to me...' Was what she thought, in seconds Dahaka releases its spell and hurls at the Pinknettes. Light opens her eyes looking at the spell and cries,

"IFRIT!"

A fiery gourge appears in front of her and opens showing the embers of hell, the spell is about to hit in seconds and the spell gets cancelled with a large muscular humanoid demon with curved horns and red eyes appear out of the ground and punches the spell with a single fist. Everyone stares at it in amazement but Dahaka was afraid, it could feel its murderous intent and bloodlust but was more afraid when it was very calm and collected. Light pointed at the gravely injured beast and commanded,

"Drag it to hell!"

Ifrit obliged and charges at Dahaka on its hind hooves, Dahaka panics and starts shooting spells at Ifrit to keep it away from misses due to its strength and powerful speed. Once in range Ifrit lunges a claw on Dahaka's sphere and the claw mark turns into a very alien symbol, it glowed bright red and a burning abyss of fire appears under Dahaka. Chains of blood red and flames shoot from the burning gap and entangled Dahaka making it immobile. It tries to break free but its efforts were put in vain as the chains began to grow heavier and heavier too much weight to bear and was then, dragged to hell. Ifirit looks at the woman who summoned him and nodded. His hands glowed brilliant green and light engulfed the entire top platform healing everything and anything like nothing ever happen. With a thankful nod Champion Light gave it permission to leave and the beast went to the huge gap and entered it, closing the gap in the process. After the battle the party regrouped together feeling the rewards of defeating Dahaka flowing through their beings, Champion Light rushed over to Mel who was cured by Ifrits healing magic and carried the teen on her back with her crutches in her hands. Mel woke up with a groan and splitting headache and asked weakly,

"What the hell happened when I was out?"

Champion Light continues to make her way to the final elevator where the others were at and said calmly, her voice sounded a little strained because Mel felt a lot heavier since she is in and out of conscious,

"Nothing much."

* * *

Oerba, Vanille and Fangs' home:

Fang and Vanille were the most shocked to see the outside of the their village was covered in crystal dust, they ran full tilt ahead of the group stabbing and blasting the roaming C'ieth out of existence. Everyone had a hard time catching up with them, especially me since my legs were still lame thanks to the side effects of the antidote Vanille gave me to get rid of the replica of Atticus's poison. Truthfully I was afraid I wasn't going to make it, that I was never going to see my family and friends again to never see anyone again. But I was relieved and grateful, like a huge weight of burden was lifted off of my shoulders, that I was going to pull through when I was full of despair and fear those agonizing hours.

But anyway, everyone was fine with leaving me behind to move at my own pace, even my copycat Eidolith, and it was understandable to be more concerned for Fang and Vanille and what they must be feeling right now seeing their home like this. The sun was reaching close to early morning or maybe early afternoon, never quite sure now even though time is the same as back home just told differently, and I guess it was a very long fight and I guess I was out for a long time then...

While I was following the cleared path to the two Pulse women's home something grabs me by my leg to see a Seeker, the weird C'ieth with one huge arm connected to a round stocky body. It was shockingly strong and it pulled me down to the ground landing on my back, a quick sharp gasp escaped my lips and when I hit the ground head first I felt dazed.

*Groan* When my eyes finally focused I was practically surrounded by a group of Seekers and Vampire towering over me and them, they were all shambling closer to me. Territorial pests I supposed. The fear of encountering these things wasn't as hard as when I was in Animas stronghold in the beginning, I just rolled my eyes in annoyance to their groaning and mechanical moaning.

"Do I have to?" I asked myself knowing that I had to deal with them otherwise I would be pulverized to death and I couldn't out run them anyhow. I closed my eyes and focused on anything warm and bright and comforting, I felt the rays of the sun grow warmer on my skin. Then I felt the warm image in my mind grow violent and more destructive until I could visualize an eruption, the heat grew intense I would have been scorched by my own spell. The C'ieth's cries and wails sounded more painful and they were suffering much more and when I imagined an explosion waves of things blowing up could be heard throughout the entire village, when I opened my eyes the C'ieth were gone and all that was left was a ring of black ash. I picked up my crutches with one hand and used the other to drag myself to the sign post using it as support to pull myself to my feet, I continued to make my way to the house, practically surprised nobody came to check on me after all the noise I made, and carefully making my way up the stairs without my support falling through the stairs. I entered the ajar door and noticed everybody is standing around frozen in place, figuratively not literally. Lightning was at the center of the group and from what I could see from the side of her face that was visible it looked like she was shocked by something. I made my way through the bodies of the L'cie scattered throughout the house, when I was close enough to see who they were all looking at, then my eyes grew wide and the words were caught in my throat again maybe it was because of shock or worry of why she and he and the thing were here but I wasn't the one who broke the silence. Light walked up to the girl standing there just as frozen as the rest of us and just said one name in confusion,

"Serah?"

* * *

A/N: hey everyone yeah sorry for the wait, I have been real busy but hopefully this is a good cliff hanger. Sorry if you ain't one who likes them... Anyways I have been rewriting previous chapters to correct some inconsistencies I had in them thanks to a guest by the name FateTheDefyer who had opened my eyes to see the errors I made and I am on a mission to correct my errors! And there are Some ideas that I will consider using while I change the chapters to make it consistent, so that's it so far... So until next time, Ciao!


	26. Things just happen

A/N: hey everybody, uh, this chapter is going to be a more in depth with the secrets Mel is keeping to herself of how she knows things and there will be things from her world that will get her to tell the party the truth and lets just say she doesn't know how to handle the problem. The second part of Reunion will be after this so lets find out what happens in this one, enjoy.

PS: if you guys have any ideas or something you would like to see in the story, please by all means, let me know in the review box or if you don't want anyone else seeing it you can PM me if you want. So anyway, lets hit the story!

* * *

"Serah?! Why the hell is she here, with Noel and Mog? The hell is going on!?" I said to myself under my breathe but apparently I forgot that Lightning was standing right next to me. When I lifted my head and turned it her way her eyes were boring into mine with confusion and anger. She grabs me by the collar, shakes me up a bit and stops, then points at Serah who is wearing her default clothes from 13-2 from where she wakes up from her dream during the 'meteor' shower.

"You do know something! You better spill or I'll force you to tell myself! Tell me; why is my sister here, who is that guy and what the hell is that thing next to them with the crystal connected to its skull!?" Lightning accuses me and readies to land a blow to my face, I guess her suspicions didn't completely fade away like I wanted to believe. I swallow my fear and look at Serah and notice she's holding something, a small rectangular case, that looks very familiar even the design of the front cover looks just like,

"Lightning..." I said aloud scanning the case, my eyes grew wider in shock and embarrassment for some reason when I realize that Serahs holding my Final Fantasy 13 game case and Noel has the 13-2 case in his hand hanging by his side. Oh shit...

"We must have crossed some sort of time continuum rift, times must be crossing right now and it ain't good. But I agree with Light, what the hell is going on Mel?" Eidolon Light asks me with the same venom the original Lightning asked in. The others are looking at me waiting for an answer with the same confused look and I feel like I'm about to panic and when I panic a whole lot of unnecessary things start to come out of my mouth.

"Mel, everyone's waitin'. You better quit stalling or you won't see the light of day again."Fang joins in trying to get me to spill, I start to sweat really bad and then I looked to the side where the tv was and saw the screen was on pause, I couldn't tell what it was but it had to have been where the others were about to confront Barthandalus here in Oerba. I relented and hung my head, trying so hard from panicking.

"Okay, okay... I'll tell you guys will you just please let me go...?" I said softly and I was released, I fell to the ground, cursing my legs for being so damn useless right now, and army crawled toward the TV set with the remote on the console. I reached for it and pressed the play button to see that the party was on the screen, excluding me, and they hear Serah talking about Ragnorak. The party with me looks at this and stares in confusion, they continued to watch this and it showed the events of Serah transforming into Barthandalus.

"What the hell!?" Fang was the first to say something, everyone was completely quiet. The tv 'magically' shut off and everyone's eyes were dead lock on me.

"What did we just watch, exactly?" Vanille asked slowly trying to take in what she saw. I sighed and sat up using my arms to keep myself up, I was thinking to myself if it was finally time to tell them the truth about themselves and how their fate was predetermined.

"Do you guys wanna know about yourselves?" I asked softly, everyone seemed to have taken a seat and waited. I looked over at Serah and Noel and they looked like they were going about their business ignoring us entirely, I think these guys were here as a recording without the source around either, when they set the cases down they simply vanished into thin air and I crawled over to the table and grabbed it myself looking over the cases design and feeling it to make sure these were my copies. I know millions of others were made but this didn't feel new or strange it feels like an old acquaintance shaking hands with me that familiar feeling. I opened the cases and brought out the manual books and set them down next to me then I flipped the game cases over to show everyone the games cover design of both versions of Lightning on it.

"You see these in my hands? These game cases is your world, your life, your reality... You are all nothing but fictional game characters in my world, you don't exist the same way you all do here if you were in my world." I said wanting to take things slow and to make sure things get answered. Everyone sits there still, their faces contorted of confusion beyond anything else I had ever seen them.

"So your saying that in the world you come from we exist to serve the purpose of others entertainment? Our fates created by the Fal'cie can be defied because we are really nothing more than a virtual reality?" Sahz asks slowly almost afraid of tripping over his words trying to make sense of what I just told them.

"Apparently so. Your focus is something you could go against if it was the game itself but here where your worlds truly exist as though the game was based off of your lives and actions it isn't the same especially with an outsider lingering here. Look just ask me anything you guys want to know I'll answer it, just to clear up the confusion you guys have." I told them ready to say what I must so they can understand. Hope spoke but I didn't hear him clearly the first time he was mumbling.

"What was that, Hope?" I asked him and he spoke a little louder, at least loud enough to hear him correctly.

"I said, in this game was there no way to save my mother? No way to save her? Was she supposed to die?" He asked, he choked a bit but recovered, though he avoided looking me in the eyes this time. My shoulders fell and I looked at my boots feeling sad now but I still answered him the best I could.

"No. The creators of the your game made made you have a vendetta against Snow for bringing your mom into the fight back at Hanging Edge, you were and I quote..." I grabbed the booklet beside and flipped to the character page and found Hope with Vanille beside him.

"_A normal boy from a normal family whose childhood on Cocoon can best be described as uneventful. Inexperienced in the ways of the world, and won't turn to your mother for protection, you are completely unprepared for the turmoil into which your life is thrown when you were unexpectedly caught up in the Sanctums brutal purge. _In other words you had to have a reason to keep going in order to live and survive. But like I said this game is your life in my world, not full on in-depth, and whatever happens in it you all had your reasons to have gone to Anima's Threshold and the developers gave you that life and its the one your living now. But now that I'm here and experienced things first hand things are far more dangerous and much more chancy than they were in the game, if you guys die in other words the party leader of the group of three I can try again but this isn't a game and shit is just real here and now." I said exasperating a little from my last sentence. I looked around and Vanille raises her hand, I nodded my head at her so she could ask her question.

"Is this your method of 'knowing the events'? Of how you were able to know what would happen next?" I just nod not sure how to answer her. But Vanille wasn't done yet.

"If you know what will happen next then which of us will become Ragnorak?"

'Who will become Ragnorak? I wish I knew... In the game it was Fang at first but in the end it was you and her, Vanille. But since Barthandalus has brought me into the picture from my world, with a power I have no idea how he got ahold of, who knows who Ragnorak will become. Please don't let my nightmares come true, please that's something I don't want to happen.' I realized how silent it was and forgot I didn't answer the red heads question.

"Ragnorak, huh? At first it was Fang when you guys confronted Orphan, she took your place Vanille but her rage wasn't strong enough to defeat it when she became a humanoid version of the beast trying to kill Orphan only to destroy its protective barrier, in the end the one who became Ragnorak was you and Fang. The rest I can't say... I'm sorry..." I told them the best I could like I said but still should I tell them what happens next?

"What? Nothing else happens? You just holding out on us?" Snow asks persistent to hear more. I looked in square in the eye and said,

"Snow because I know how your story ends doesn't mean I know your fates completely... I mean even if I didn't know what happens okay do any of us know how our story ends? It's a continuation of one more story with Lightning being the main character to continue things from 13-2 for you guys but with everything that happened lately it could be a whole other ball game. Besides I'm holding out for a reason, I want you guys to live it okay? Anything else? If so I'm all ears here."

The room was deathly silent, not even Vanille's pet robot, Bahkte, was making any noise even thou it was fixed. When I thought they were done and still trying to take things in Eidolon Light raised her voice this time.

"What about me? Why am I here when I was obviously missing from the screen on the tv? What is my purpose, what is my role Mel?" Straight forward questions but I have no idea why you were here Light, I wish I knew...

"Your purpose? I don't know, you don't even exist in the game of 13. In 13-2 in the downloadable content called the "Goddess's Requiem", if the player can beat the Corrupted Bahamut with a five star rank or something they are rewarded with Crystogen points and a 'summoned monster' that appears as Lightning in her GC uniform, but you came in her armor of Etro instead. My theory is your role is to aid the interloper with the power of the one you copied, you aided Serah in 13-2 as a summoned being she could call upon while time traveling, but like I said its only my theory I just don't know I'm sorry."

"Why would they create this world? I mean this place already existed long before your world made it right? How could they make such a place where someone gets cursed every single day!? With a damn impossible focus!?" Fang cries out of the blue expecting me to answer her right away. I rub my temple and tried to answer that but I couldn't.

"I wouldn't know why Fang. It just happened, okay? Things just happen and the developers and creators of your games decided to make your stories the way it is right now! So if you wanna know go talk to the developers yourself."

The huntress quickly got to her feet with a cocky grin and said,

"Point me in the right direction then, cuz I want answers and I want them now!"

I pointed in the direction of Cocoon and she looked at the cracked world from the doorframe. She looks at me with a glare and asked,

"Why you pointing at Cocoon?"

I swear I literally faced palm myself but I didn't just mentally.

"We have to go to Cocoon for a reason! We have to confront Barthandalus there after we kick his ass here in Oerba! He's waiting just yonder over on the decimated bridge right above us! I swear if he is watching us right now I bet he must be thinking, 'These damn L'cie are acting so childish arguing around here. Might as well go and destroy Cocoon while they quarrel with each other.' Thats why!"I explained while shouting trying to match the same loud level Fang displayed just now. It was a very strange loud argument with Fang shouting things back and forth at each other trying to get one or the other to submit but things were going nowhere.

"That's enough!" Lightning says and slaps Fang in the back of the head while I watched her rub her head I just pointed and laughed at her.

"You too, knock it off!" Light tells me and socks me in the head to, rubbing the spot she hit on the side of my skull still ringing, I look and Fang is stifling in her laughter but stopped and backed away when Light presented her fist in the Huntresses face then I notice Eidolon Light was smirking but hid it soon after. GC Lightning stood in front of me and kneeled so we could be on equal level.

"So you're saying that your world gave us life and somehow we have a realm of our own reliving it every single day with no recollection of it? Your saying we have been replaying the same events over and over again?" She asked trying to make sense of everything she just heard. I nod.

"But somehow Barthandalus realized the never ending cycle and wants to end it. That sounds very familiar, but why does it sound so familiar?" I thought to myself trying to make a connection, which I usually know what the connection is, but can't. I try to look for answers by going into my memories but the ripples return and my thought become blurry.

'But be warned, when your memories return there is no knowing what will be yours and what will be replaced. There will be other memories taking over your own creating the falsehood of your truth. Choose wisely and the puzzles will reveal what you lost.' Is that what Etro told me? My memories are switched and I have to figure out which are fake and which are mine? Great! Puzzles, mind puzzles... Hate them as much as Sudoku when I can't see them in front of me...

"Wait! So if Barthandalus figured out there was a pattern replaying again and again..." Hope began with Snow following after him,

"And wants to destroy that pattern with the ability to cross through other worlds and dimensions..." Everyone is slowly realizing something and I think I'm catching on to what they're thinking about.

"The key to finally breaking the cycle was to bring someone who came from the world that started the cycle in the first place." Sahz says too, the conclusion drawing nearer.

"But why go through all the trouble as by bringing a storm to pick the key? Why not kidnap the developer or creator to be the key instead of a random civilian?" Eiodolon Light asks, her hand cupping her chin as she losses herself in thought.

"Maybe... The developers weren't the ones to he wanted! The storm you told us that gave you those scars was a sort of test, yea?" Fang asks as she looks like she is starting to see the truth.

"Maybe, the test was to see if there was anyone, something in their lives, that made them worthy or maybe they had a strong will to have survived a hit like that from that force. Remember, lightning has an unpredictable weather pattern that must be why he used that storm!"

"By using the strongest and most unpredictable force to determine the one to be the key to break the cycle it would have been the one to judge who would be chosen. It couldn't have been random the storm came for you Mel and you answered it. Maybe that's why your here! Your role in our world was to destroy the cycle so Barthandalus can finally fulfill his twisted dreams." Lightning says finishing up the conclusion. I get it now. I'm here because I'm the one who is going to break the story once and for all! It was right there in front of me the whole time but I didn't see it, now I get it!

"But-!" Vanille said but is hesitant to speak. Everyone looks at her and she seems to shrink in her spot.

"But what Nille?" Fang asked her younger companion, the huntress pats the red heads head a little but Vanille didn't speak right away.

"But if your here to break a cycle wouldn't that mean you could be the one to become Ragnorak?" Everyone was silent upon hearing Vanilles question. Would I be the one to become the fabled beast instead of her and Fang? The events changed so there is a possibility I could become Ragnorak.

"Maybe... I'm not sure but there could be a chance for that too." I answer her with that small and simple answer though everyone looked satisfied to know something I held back from telling them this whole time. I looked out the window and saw the sun was already setting, were we talking that long? Wow!

"Groan!" That familiar despair filled moan echoed throughout the house, Hope ran out by the door to see what it was and came back in, shutting the door closed, his face pale and porcelain.

"There is a horde of undying C'ieth out there, whatarewegoingtodo!?" He said very quickly. I thought back a bit and smiled.

"Vanille! Help me up, please!" I asked the red head who came to my aid. I had one crutch to under my arm with Vanille under my other arm helping me to walk to Hope. He doesn't seem to want to open the door any time soon and looks confused when me and Vanille were standing by him.

"Remember what I told you back at Palumpolum? When I said 'you and me brother would make a bad ass team if Vanille was with us when we hit the field?'" I asked him, Hope was quiet for a bit then shook his head in agreement.

"Why do you ask?" He asks me in return. I smiled at him.

"Leave the C'ieth to us kids, okay?" I told the adults and they were alright with it. Hopes eyes grew wide with fear but calmed down and smiled at me and Nille.

"Your right! Things are different, we are a whole lot stronger compared to before. Lets show them how strong us kids are!" Hope cries bringing out his water based boomerang, Vanille smiles and pulls out her wind based binding rod. Eidolon Light gives me my only stainless steel katana I had left at my disposal, since I lost the other one on the Palamecia and my buster blade was too heavy to carry with one hand, and sent us into the lions den.

* * *

Battle sequence engaged:

Hordes of Vampires, Seekers, Chonchons, and Taxims shambled their way toward the open of where warbled noise erupted from. The C'ieth went to see what was invading their claimed territory and set out to kill it, when they arrived to the residential area and found three strange beings standing in the center of the area. Their forms were strange to the C'ieth but that didn't mean they weren't someplace they didn't belong, with a fierce howl of a lone Taxim the horde advances and attacks.

Hope ran to the right and Vanille ran to the left trying to split the horde into groups of threes, leaving Mel to take care of the ones who had no interest in the other two L'cie. The seekers all ran toward Vanille and Hope had the Chconchon alongside the Taxims on his tail and Mel had the Vampires. Hope hastily casted Haste, Protectra, Shellra to the party in time before any of the C'ieth attacked. The Seekers were grouped in twelves to twenty at least though five reached Vanille but she was ready for them and casted Fira and Aerora, fire hit the ground first and sent a few Seekers into others but more advanced and when the wind hit the flames it turned into a flaming cyclone that engulfed the Seekers and turned them into ashes. When the swirling blaze died down a few Seekers appeared out of the blue and slammed their muscular arm onto the ground around Vanille in a circle, the force sends her flying of the ground and into the air. She cries out in surprise, catching the attention of a few C'ieth, Mel and Hope. Mel was too preoccupied to do something but Hope was in her sights and conjured a very powerful Thundaga spell that sent a few Vampires and Taxims sprawled outstretched on the ground having bad muscle spasms, with those out of the way Hope runs around trying to see if he can catch Vanille from hitting the ground but gets hit in the head by a Taxim and sent sprawled backwards. Vanille is close to the ground but summons a strong Aero spell and it hits the Taxim right in the chest and it swirls around in the gust of air, the spell was able to keep her from hitting the earth and land safely on the ground. The red head ran over to see if Hope was alright to see he was already standing and kicking Taxims asses!

'Wow, he did grow stronger... Good for him!' Vanille thinks to herself, distracting herself from avoiding an aero spell hurling her way.

"Vanille!" Mel shouts to her teammate who snaps out of her thoughts in time to jump out of the way, Vanille sees few Chonchons and Vampires sending wind and fire spells at the group though only hits other C'ieth. Hope, Mel, and Vanille regroup together after seeing their progress of destroying most of the enemies numbers.

"Like a never ending wave, were they supposed to be here Mel?" Vanille asks confused by the sudden appearance to the C'ieth. Mel shakes her head also confused by this, Hope shakes his head and smiles.

"Doesn't it feel like we are just playing around with these things? Shouldn't we just cut to the chase and finish this?" The two girls look at their younger companion and look at each other then back to him.

"Finish this how?" They ask in a unison. Hope holds out his hand to his friends but glows fiery red, Vanille holds her hand out to him and her hands glow bubbly blue. Mel sees the energy of the elements come together adds her hand to the mix and her hand glows electric yellow, the three energies come together and turned white blinding anything but them. The C'ieth growled and howled but kept going, the energies became stronger and sends energy waves through the wind shifting the dust and rocks then finally toppling the crystal beings sending them out of the ghost village. When the light faded the enemies were gone but the three close friends discovers in battle that when they hit the field its game over with their bond became a whole lot stronger than before, the three marvel at Hopes idea of bringing their energy together and smile in turn to one another.

"That was just so damn awesome! Lets do that again! Whoo!" Mel says overjoyed with adrenaline coursing through her veins. Vanille is speechless and smiles practically ear to ear as she stares at her palms, Hope looks back at the house to see Lightning, GC original, looking out the door smiling and nodding in approval making him feel more welcomed to his mentor approving his strength. The trio return to the house and close the doors, the lights flicked on thankful the generator still worked and that Sahz was able to fix it. The confusion still lingered but the party was too concerned about living to see another day to go after Barthandalus or wind up dead and fail to save the worlds from utter destruction. Eerily silent it brought a little peace to the group so the information could sit well with them, for Mel it felt bitter sweet to tell them the truth but somehow it felt sour in her mouth like telling would end up bringing a whole shit load of trouble.

"Bright and early everyone, you know what we have to do tomorrow." Lightning tells everyone as she turns the living room light to let the darkness fall in. Eidolon Light was about to close her eyes until she feels something shift behind her and feels something graze her back. She was about to move but turns her head and mutters a 'what the hell?" Softly under her breath.

"Sorry, Light. It's me, I hate the dark I get paranoid real fast like someone's watching me. Can I stay here?" Mel asks softly through the shadows. Eidolon Light just says yeah and goes back to sleep. Fang heard the conversation and made another witty joke trying to egg on the inter loping teen.

"Really? Paranoid or not you sure nothing is going on?" She says loud for everyone to hear, GC Light finally catches on and feels upset and her face felt warm. She shuffled through the darkness trying to feel her way through the shadows and feels something, she winds up and punches the figure hoping to hit Fang.

"AGH! Jeez Sis! Again?!" Snow cries out in pain from the punch to the jaw, his nose shed a small trickle of blood from the hit to the face. Light mutters an apology and tries again and hits something else that lets out a sharp gasp and this time she hit her target.

"Shit, Light! You always hitting me all the time is getting on my damn nerves!" Fang shout real loud everyone wakes up.

"If you would just shut your mouth for once and quit with these damn jokes I wouldn't have to hurt you." Light says back to the huntress as she goes back to her spot. Fang scoffs under breath, shifts around in place to get comfortable, and mutters to herself this time,

"Seems like something's going on and nobody ain't admitting nothing, trying to keep it under wraps. Damn that hurt like hell!"

"You want another one Fang!?" Light shouts in the shadows and Fang got defensive,

"What I didn't say anything! Night grouchy..." Then the party went to sleep. Mel started to think and tried to sort out her thoughts trying to solve the riddles to her false memories but nothing came to mind and had no idea how to solve them, she had to sort things out or who knows what'll happen to her should she return home. Eidolon Light feels the unease from her companion and turns over to her other side to face her.

"Everything alright, Mel?" She asks concerned. Mel was closing her eyes and answered nonchalantly,

"Go to sleep Light, I'll tell you everything later. Just... Not now." The pink haired Eidolon didn't like being dismissed like that and jabs the teen in the lower ribs with her sharp nails Mel had to bite her lip to keep the noise in and avoid waking everyone up again. She grunts in frustration and whispered sharply,

"The hell was that for?!"

"For not being open with me! Damn it I'm concerned about you can't you at least tell me what's on your mind!?" Eidolon Light replies just as sharp back.

"It's not easy to explain, okay fine! You want to know what is going on in my mind!? I have a messed up head trying to figure out which memories are mine. Some I remember being home while the rest show I came to Cocoon countless of times looking at stuff like a tourist! If I don't set things right who knows what'll happen to me." Mel replies sharply.

"Go to sleep... for the love of Lady Luck!" Fang grumbles from her pillow, since she was lying on her stomach her face in her pillow.

"Okay Fang go to sleep." Eidolon Light replies to the silent huntress Then turns her attention back to her summoner.

"I'm just worried, with everything that happened before and learning more about what's going on I just want to make sure your okay Mel. Your like a younger sister to me." Mel blinks her eyes open but closes them shut again.

"You want to know something funny? When you said, ' I'm like your younger sister' and you being Lightning its funny because she and my sister share the same name. Your like a pink haired version of my sister only a whole lot different, just your name is the same." Mel whispers to Eidolon Light smiles who to herself was grateful the darkness hid her grin. Out of nowhere Light feels something hit her head then Mel groans T the sudden impact to her face and shoots up glaring through the dark.

"For life's sake go to sleep damn it!" Fang grumbles again only this time she threw whatever she could feel around for and threw it in the direction of the voices. Both the summoner and summoned being roll their eyes and went to sleep giving the huntress some peace and quiet. Though the peace didn't come to anyone that night but they tried the best they could and finally got some shut eye. Mel however couldn't sleep and listened to the sounds of the others sleeping to keep her from thinking she was alone in the night. Confused and angry as she was she had to settle things with Dysely if it meant to get rid of this feeling haunting her, what seemed like seconds turned to hours until sleep finally came to her and cradled her to sleep.

'Dysely... I'm going to make you pay for everything you did... You better be ready for tomorrow you jackass...'

* * *

A/N: okay I understand this wasn't the battle with Barthandalus it was more of a spilling the beans sort of thing. Plus I was trying to make it funny until the next chapter where they will confront the Fal'cie once more before going to Orphans cradle and fighting him, but who knows how this fight will go and what will happen back on Cocoon. So until next time, Ciao!

PS: same as before if there is anything you want to see in the later chapters let me know in the review box or PM me and I shall see what I can do;)


	27. Another confrontation

A/N: hey everybody its Legacy once again. From the title you can guess what will happen in this chapter, yup the party is finally going to go against _you know who!_ For many months they trained on Gran Pulse to become stronger so lets see how much progress they made to get this far in order to fight the Fal'cie. Lets find out shall we? Enjoy!

* * *

The first light of dawn began poking over the horizon from the north of Oerba the crystal dust glimmering as they floated within the air appearing as weightless diamonds and fell from the outer shell of Cocoon it seemed like a shower of rainbows fell from the skies and landed upon the earth. The one to awaken from their slumber was Eidolon Light, she emerged from sleep abruptly from her nightmare; a tragic dream she had it left her frightened and her breathing became terribly unstable and hard. Her clothes were drenched with cold sweat the fabrics stuck to her skin like ice, when she saw the sun rising and the light beams falling into the home of her two companions they occupied she felt something terrible was going to happen today and prayed that whatever she dreamt about wouldn't come true.

'This is strange, since I arrived and fell into the realm of darkness as I closed my eyes not once had I dreamed nor awoken with this feeling of dread and evil startling me. Today feels like a bad omen lingering, waiting to happen. But what can I do to prevent it from happening?' Eidolon Light thought to herself trying to keep herself from awakening the others, she looked around the dimly lit room and saw nobody else was up just her and she was grateful for that knowing that her friends would need all the strength they could get for the fight ahead of them. Looking beside her laid her summoner, her back facing her, resting peacefully and looked at ease like she was in a better dream she had for months. A small smile rested upon Eidolon Lights lips when she was content someone was at peace for once since this journey became much more difficult. Since Mel's branded shoulder was almost exposed curiosity got the best of the replicated woman, slowly moving her hand towards the teens sleeveless shirt and felt the fabric run over her left index finger. Gently pulling the material forward she slowly saw the brand and was close to examining it until her finger slipped and her hand accidentally slapped Mel's face, startled by the sudden noise of a loud snore Light whipped her hand back into her other hand, clasping them together, and she looked afraid and guilty when she whacked her friend in the face from the scare turned around to see Snow sleeping at the foot of the couch Fang slept on not so far away with his mouth agape and he would let out a loud snort every so often. Her eyes blazed with fury and embarrassment that she got scared by Snow and his sleeping habits though luckily she was the only one awake so she didn't make a fool of herself.

'Etro that man needs to keep that noise in to himself!' The pink haired Eidolith thought to herself slowly standing to her feet while inserting her blade into its holster and clipping it around her waist. She didn't want to see how far Mel's brand was now and deep down she somehow forgot she was branded when she forgot to include herself to the L'cie group back at Yaschas Massif while talking to her about borrowed time. Creeping to the door and opening it with a soft creek Eidolon Light slipped into the rays of the early morning sun and up toward the decimated bridge.

* * *

The second to have woken up was Hope, he wiped his tired eyes with the back of his gloveless hands and made his way to the bathroom down the corridor of the kitchen. He flipped the switch up by the door and a dim light came on to illuminate the small room where he cupped the cold running water from the sink onto his face to kick him up to awareness. It was a Necessity to be in a home to shelter them than their past camps and they had the needed essentials to use for the same mornings they had, the cupboards had preserved items such as unopened toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouth wash and even combs. He popped them all open and freshened up a little to feel a bit more clean than the normal life as a fugitive. As he opened the door everyone else was just waking up, he wandered over to his 'once older brother' and shook the sixteen year old awake by the shoulder, Mel got up after several attempts and sat upright yawning and stretching her arms.

"Morning, Sis." Hope says softly with a small smile. Mel looked at him through her own tired eyes and smiled in return with a nod of her head. The silver head boy went over to wake Vanille and the redhead did the same shaking Fang awake.

"RISE AND SHINE SLEEPING BEAUTIES! IT'S TIME TO KICK THE FAL'CIES ASS TODAY! We are going to win this fight like we did in the past!" Fang shouted awake when Vanille woke her up, her tone was tired, obnoxious but strictly over confident. Everyone shook their heads and covered their ears from the sudden outburst by the huntress and went back to their own things. Vanille sighed but smiled at the refreshing energy her friend displayed.

"Try not to be too cocky Fang or else something might happen, okay?" Said the cheery redhead who went to the kitchen and fixed a quick breakfast after a small chat with her friend.

Mel came out of the bathroom, a little bit more clean and tidy, with her expression worried and concerned as her eyes darted through the living room and into the other few rooms the home had. Soon bewilderment flashed into her eyes and asked,

"Where did Light go?"

Everyone looked her way and looked around the room, they noticed her belongings, save for her boots, were gone and so were a few vials of potions they carried with them for emergencies. It wasn't strange that Eidolon Light would leave at times when she felt like it to train but she and the party knew training was over and the second big fight was about to begin.

"Where would she-"

KABOOM!

The party opened the curtains that gave them a good view of the bridge and saw a huge dust and smoke cloud form where the bridge ended from the previous destructions. Leaving everything the way it once was, turning the ancient generators off, and making sure they had their equipment ready and stormed out the door racing towards the battlegrounds.

* * *

The party made their way to the battlegrounds of the explosion they saw but nothing was destroyed, not even a crater or web of cracks were made from the impact, no one stood there as they slowly advanced, instead they heard a voice talking. A voice that struck Lightning and Snow simultaneously as it spoke.

"Ragnorak... Come day of wrath, O Pulse L'cie... Embrace thy fate, thine home to burn... That fallen souls might bear our plea... To hasten the divine's return. O piteous wanderer, Ragnarok... Make of this day a brave epoch. Deliver the divine, Ragnarok..."

The party ventured deeper until the end of the debris filled end came into view, a bright lavender white light appeared a foot or two away from the group, a small and petite figure formed from the source and came before the group was the younger Farron sister.

"What?" Lightning said in surprise her voice was lost in her throat. Snow walked ahead of Light by so much to get a better view and spoke just as shocked as Light, his own voice stuck in his throat.

"Serah? How did you-?" Serah smiled softly and ran up to Snow embracing him in her arms. Sahz saw her and growled suspiciously feeling something was very off about the young girl.

"I was waiting. For you to open your eyes. All the time I was asleep, I knew what was happening. I kept trying to think up a way to save Cocoon- together."

Snow didn't know how to react at first as he listened to the girl he held, gently pushing her back to see her face he spoke her name softly and shoved her backwards. Instead of falling to the ground Serah caught her balance and spoke again slowly making her way to stand upright.

"You get it now. There are no gods with miracles to save us, no matter where you look. That's why we have to call one. Destroy Orphan, we'll save the world!"

Lightning reaches for her weapon but was hesitant to draw it in her hands, instead her voice became her weapon speaking sharply and loudly to the figure saying,

"Stop it!"

Serah sees her sisters hesitation and smiles evilly while talking in a gentle, tender, childish tone trying to confuse and bring back the buried guilt and pain to the older pinknette,

"You can't do that. You love me too much. You do, don't you Claire?"

Snow steps between the two with his arm raised up as a barrier to keep the Farron sisters apart and spoke calmly and absolutely to the younger girl, his eyes trained on her like a convict under a policeman's watch in prison.

"Enough already! Listen up. We are all shooting for the same goal here." Quickly interrupted the same lavender white light envelopes Serah's body, blinding the group as they cry out in surprise while shielding their eyes from the brightness of the source. In her place stood no other than their sworn enemy; Ganaleth Dysely. He spoke with malice in his voice as always looking down upon his pawns.

"And the result of that is this." The party was stunned to the sudden appearance of Dysely replacing the girl Lightning and Snow held so dear too, Snow awakened from his dazed state and growled sprinting at the older man with his fist ready to hit something shouting,

"You! You son of a-" The Fal'cie in human flesh vanished and Snow went to the ground tumbling down, he recovered and got back to his feet seeing his enemy got behind him and tried again. When his fist made contact a barrier appeared from impact and sent the blond man flying onto his back a few feet. Everyone runs to his side and Dysely smiles maliciously at the bunch eyeing everyone of them down to every detail.

"You betray your Fal'cie to chase after dreams and shadows. The world you claim to wish to protect now faces the end of days with no hope of salvation." Lightning narrowed her eyes in rage and spoke sharply to the man before her,

"I didn't think Fal'cie had the means." Again Dysely smiles wickedly and the group merely stares at him in fury flashing in their eyes ready to fight should they get caught up in it.

"Oh, but it wouldn't be Fal'cie who destroys her. For centuries now, Cocoon has provided generously for its human inhabitants' every want and need. Coddled them, one might even say. The result being their deep-seated fear and hatred of change all things alien. Fed, nurtured, and ready to detonate at the slightest spark. The seeds of destruction take root even now." Dysely explains to the party. Lightning finally finds the courage to draw her weapon in a striking stance saying in a low, demanding voice,

"What did you do to Cocoon?"

A small smirk formed on the enemies face, the hatred of him growing from within the group.

"I resigned, appointing Raines as Primarch in my stead."

Snow looked on bewildered and surprise upon hearing their once allies name again. He lost his voice again and asked softly,

"Raines? He's alive?" Dyselys smirk broadened and spoke,

"The puppet is restrung to serve my needs, yes. It's eyes had long since turned to glass, of course the Calvary's eyes will see our friend as nothing more than a traitor to their cause. They'll say the Fal'cie got to him too, or some such drivel. And imagine- when I spread word that its Orphan tugging at his strings- what'll happen next."

Sahz came forward with his hand raised as if reaching something found his voice and spoke out,

"You gonna use the Calvary to take the thing out?"

The smirk turned into a malicious, wicked, smile.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps I'll feign the howling of Pusian wolves and let the fear addled sheep slaughter themselves. Either way, the end is near."

With Mnerva flying to his aid, laughing sadistically like a madman should, Dysely merges with the mechanical white owl and becomes the white armored skin Fal'cie known as Barthandalus once more. In a human mixed robotic voice he asked,

"And what of yourselves? Will you enjoy the festivities beside me? Or perhaps greet the end here, in the land where it all began? Just like your friend here?" The party already drew their weapons and saw a bleeding figure revealed from under his alabaster and gold claw. The party looked with wide eyes but the once affected more from it was Mel as restrained rage and anger filled her entire being that her mind suddenly snapped, she cast aside her crutches forcefully and tried to force herself to walk again no matter how many times she fell. Barthandalus laughed scornfully at the teen he had summoned from the other dimensions, back handing the girl with his large mechanical hand flying her into the feeble metal wall that surprisingly stood strong upon impact. His attention was fixed upon her and ignored the others entirely, not satisfied by the fight his key to destruction displayed.

"Pathetic... Much weaker than our last encounter, you sure your the key I need to destroy the cycle to this never ending humiliation?" Barthandalus growled as he turned back to the party of L'cie waiting for them to attack. Through the smoke a powerful fire and thunder spell, fused together, struck the Fal'cie in the face. The party turned their heads to the smoke and so did the Fal'cie, they all turned and saw the smoke cleared and the teen stood on her legs like they were never injured in the first place and her eyes became feral and dangerously evil, the eyes that Eidolon Light noticed and feared of seeing, staring at Barthandalus with rage and wrath dripping in her eyes and voice as she spoke,

"Your going to pay for hurting Light!" Smiling and frowning at the scene before him and grimacing from the scorch marks on the side of his face Barthandalus readied himself to attack and defend as he taunted his opponent.

"Show me how much you've grown key and pawns of devastation. Bring forth the Maker and exterminate the vermin that infest the world to shape everything anew!"

* * *

Battle sequence active:

The party stood in a mixed formation of offense and defense, Fang and Vanille were trying to see if any debuff spells could weaken the enemy while Light and Snow were attacking relentlessly with Sovereign fist and Army of while just as Hope and Sahz were focused on increasing everyone's defense and offensive powers using Protectra, Shellra, faith, bravery and vigilance. Barthandalus wouldn't remain in place like he had done at the Palamecia due to the lack of space so he decided to go after the weak ones first. The Fal'cie crouched down and pounced skyward in the air, wings of metallic white appeared from his back giving him the mechanical appearance of a Griffon.

"Impudent worms shall know my wrath!" He said and charged up his Thanatosian Laughter, the small bullet projectiles became as small as rain and they had a very dangerous attack level of a Magnum .50 times ten, his sights aiming for Hope, Vanille, Sahz and the injured Eidolon. With a quick thrust of his shoulders the projectiles were launched, the party tried to roll and run out of the way but the bullets were like heat seeking missiles and hit their targets by so much even a small graze drew a lot of blood. Hope and Vanille were lucky to send strong Firaga spell at the attack to save them but Sahz was grazed by his side the impact, though scratched the surface of his skin, exploded and blood splattered across the ruined pavement like water. He clutched his side in pain but stood to his feet weak but vigilant. Eidolon Light was still conscious and rolled out of the way in time to avoid getting hit in result she coughed up blood from her mouth as it sprayed out of her from her midriff.

'Shit! The potions aren't taking effect! Why? Is it because I'm too weak that there isn't anything it can do to help me now? I should have waited but I couldn't wait any longer...' The pink haired Eidolith thinks to herself, closing her eyes in shame and guilt, she grips her weapon strong and shoots several barrage of bullets at the flying Fal'cie. Barthandelus swoops out of the way in a graceful and forceful way, unaccustomed to fighting in the air, making due to the situation and charges up again and dive bombs at Snow and Fang. The Sentinels see they were being targeted and used Steelguard strengthening their defenses with yellow light of armor. Both claws sharper than metal and denser than diamonds Barthandelus swoops from above and clashes together with Fang and Snow, electricity and energy glowing, preventing the Fal'cie from continuing to attack keeping him locked in place as he forces himself to proceed but the two L'cie were adamant from keeping him in place.

"Hope, Vanille, Light, Sahz NOW!" Snow cries as he looks over his shoulder, grunting from keeping the his defenses strong as he fights the attack and the strain on his body same as Fang. Barthandalus's eyes follow and looks up, eyes widening from what he saw. Hope and Vanille stood side to side their left hands interlocked with each other while their right hands glow an iridescent color, the force charging still, Lightning and Sahz on the other hand summoned their Eidolons the white knight and crimson warrior stood nonchalantly with their weapons raised summoning a fused attack of their own. Glued together from trying to take out the parties best guards and with no way of evading the incoming attacks Barthandelus looks on in horror and squints his eyes in frustration.

"Damn you filthy L'cie!" He bellowed loudly. Fang and Snow smirked at each other while the Huntress said aloud in a taunting way,

"Ah, shut up already you long winded bastard!"

Ready to fire Hope and Vanille's attack shot from their palms with a sonic blast, it was no bigger than a Sparrow bird, and aimed for the head. The Steel guard spell wore off, using their new weapons Snow froze the wings and claws to keep the enemy in place and from soaring away while Fang summoned Malice's dark energy pulses as weights on the ice to add more burden to keep Barthandelus from breaking free. Jumping out of the way the energy hit a bullseye, the explosion became a large nuclear cloud the wind became dry and steaming hot, something crashed to the earth and fell into the waters below with a loud sound of something cooling off after spending a long time in an oven or over an open flame. The party was taken aback by how powerful the combined spell of the two teens they looked at them awe strucked and amazed, the two couldn't help but smile sheepishly. Snow looked over the edge of the bridge to see below, the waters churned and bubbled but nothing surfaced. Everyone else went by his side to see what he saw and someone asked softly,

"Is he dead?"

"No, he isn't supposed to die here..." A voice answered from behind. The party of six looked behind them ready to attack to see Mel carrying Eidolon Light in her arms, bridal style, cradling her body like a child crying into the torso of the comforting adult.

"Most likely he will resurface. But..." Mel didn't finish her words, she just looked into the face of the one she carried. Like a telepathic message was passed through their minds Hope, Lightning and Vanille ran over to the two and Mel placed her Eidolon down away from the crater to get treated. Vanille took a look at the woman's injuries and her green eyes widened.

"This is bad... I'm not sure if we can heal these injuries she has..." Taking a closer look at the midriff Eidolon Light was suffering from massive blood loss due to the large gaping red wound spewing blood just from breathing, her right arm was disabled from the fight she ventured into at first light, and her skull was fractured just as much as her ribs. The only one that suffered from a fatal attack was Sahz but he was going to pull through.

"Can't you try anything?!" Mel questioned desperately. Vanille looked at her friend and cast her eyes downward, beads of sweat forming from her brow.

"Maybe... If something happens while we treat her we won't have time to save her." Vanille explains. Mel's eyes and expression become grim, limping greatly as she tried to walk on her own without support again she went to the ledge and looked at the waters below. Snow, Fang and Sahz looked at the teen with questionable gaze watching her movements, wasting no time the teen raised her scarred left arm skyward as almost on cue storm clouds appear out of nowhere engulfing the skies blocking out the sun. Her arm glows electric blue until it crackles and lightning bounces around her arm.

"If you need time I will try to give you guys some, but I have to admit I trained myself to try and unlock any secrets my arm has and I was able to summon a storm. Which means I can summon lightning to my will as the storm follows, strange how I could do this but I don't care anymore. This bastard doesn't deserve the chance to resurface let alone live." Mel says darkly. As rain and wind start to fall from the heavens hard lightning flashes from the skies and crash into the interlopers arm as a conductor, lowering her arm while the force continues to flow into it a jerk of her hand blasted the force and a large blue explosion and light produces in the waters. The light shows a dark figure below being electrocuted through the whole ordeal, once the lightning no longer crashes and the Storm continues to fall the water merely sparks blue and nothing moves. Vanille and the others began to work relentlessly to heal Eidolon Light, the others watch the waters below for anything strange. Mel walks away from the edge and over to watch and see how her Eidolon is holding up, the sight of blood no longer a stranger to her eyes but the whole process still turns her stomach upside down.

Sahz hears something strange and looks down, the waters form rapid whirlpools, four in the same spot rotating the other way than the last, and suddenly something flies out of the water and into the air then toward the party. Fang tries to block it with her lance but whatever came out of the water pierces through her weapon and digs itself into her abdomen, her shoulders and her right lung she falls from the force. Snow tried to run to her aid only to get stabbed himself in his calves, forearms and the blades flew between his six ribs stabbing themselves into both of his lungs. Sahz tried to shoot the things attacking them only to lose his weapons in the rain and attack, his hands get pierced while his calf and thighs are stabbed along with his side. The medic team and Mel look at their companions bleeding from fatal attacks, Vanille ran to Fang in desperation when she was targeted. Her eyes reflect the blades coming her way and raise her arms up as if they would shield her, a hand pulls her by the shoulders and blood falls on her face. Opening her eyes they widen in horror as she sees the one who saved her.

"Hope!" She shrieked in fear and horror.

Hope stood in front of Vanille with his arms raised up his sides, three blades ran Through his chest the blades were wet with blood, his body shook violently from the pain it no longer could stand he simply fell to the ground the redhead caught the young boy from crashing. Mel looks at the sky and sees razor sharp wing blades vibrating in the sky water bouncing off them from the rain. Dozens and more could be seen watching them as if they could see their targets, a few dashed forward and Mel's eyes could see where they were headed to GC Light who is blocking off the blades with her own weapon and her Eidolon. Forced to make a decision she ran full tilt the best she could and shouted,

"Lightning!" GC Light turns around and sees the blades aiming her way, Eidolon Light, however, doesn't have the strength to move. Mel is right there and jumps in the way of the blades protecting the pink haired woman from harm. The blades ran through her like butter wedged in bread, blood flew and splattered running with the current of the rain. Mel opens her eyes to see Eidolon Light is not in front of her but GC Light, someone is behind her hugging the teen tightly as the blood fell onto her back from the person behind her, blood landing on the very injured GC Lights face staring at the scene before her. The red iron substance ran from her mouth as her eyes opened in shock and confusion, looking behind her by turning her head slowly the teens eyes widen in horror and despair pulls her heart once more.

"Light..." Mel says slowly choking on her own blood. Eidolon Light smiles weakly as her arms welcomed her summoner. The blades ran through her chest as well but their may not be a chance to save her from her new and previous wounds.

"Hey... Mel... You ain't crying are ya?" Eidolon Light asks Mel, feeling drained and tired her knees buckled and fell to the ground with Mel following suit. GC Lightning catches the two and pulls the blades out the best she could, screams of pain followed shortly after but faded to silence. Mel weakly sits up and pulls Eidolon Lights upper body in her arms, one hand held the pale woman's hand in hers, blood drenched them both though they were all the summoned beings blood. Tears fell from the interlopers eyes, her body shook from the pain and sadness. With little strength she managed to say,

"Why?"

Champion Light smiles weakly and taps the teens forehead weakly with her free hand in shape of a fist.

"Stupid... It's my job to... To protect you... It's the will of our creation anyways... To protect the ones who calls us to their will..." She responded weakly. Mel tried her best to contain her tears and sobs muttering out apologies over and over again wishing it was her who took her place. GC Light crawls to the two and watches the blades in the air clutching her gaping wound similar to her double gangers one on her midriff. Tears began to shed and Eidolon Light feels them on her face, smiling warmly she mutters softly to GC Lightning,

"Take care of everything Light... They need a leader..." Light looks at her and nods promising to do as she was asked of.

"One more thing please..." Lightning turns her head and raises her eyebrows,

"What is it?" She asked.

"Take care of this knuckle head for me... Will ya? She's someone I hold dear to... My heart, she gave me life after all being my summoner... And what not..." Eidolon Light says. Lightning looks down at the ground and agrees to take care of her.

"Of course, she's just as precious to me as everyone else. I'll make sure she stays out of trouble." Content with that answer her smile broaden and squeaks out a few words,

"Thank you..." Green light envelopes her body then turns to white, once her hand dropped from Mel's her body became orbs of white light streaming from the earth and into the clouds returning back to the world of Valhalla.

"L.. Light..." Mel's voice trembled and she no longer had the will to stop the tears from flowing, she screamed in frustration and slammed her fists into the ground they cracked and no matter how much she wanted to stop blood filled her lungs and she chocked. Lightning is shocked to see so much emotion show in her friend she has no idea how to react to this, Mel lost her Eidolon and she cried so hard from her loss still amazed how she placed herself in the other hers shoes should someone so close cry over her. Guilty to how violent and lethal she acted to the girl in the beginning she felt like she had to do something but didn't know what. Odin tried his best to heal the injured with Vanille since Brynthilder fell with his summoner the knight had no idea what to do and reverted back to his crystal form. Finally finding the words to say Lightning tried her best to say them,

"Mel... No matter what happens she remains with us, she lives on in our hearts and is guiding us to our paths out of the darkness and into the light. Don't cry over her, she wouldn't want anyone to mourn." Deafened by the despair that creeped its way into her heart Mel tried to accept the words but couldn't. Lightning felt she was losing the kid more to her rage and darkness she went over to the teen and did the same her other did and as she did with Hope and Serah, holding the teen in her arms trying her best to comfort the girl. Mel tried to fight but couldn't and remains still feeling more heart broken from losing her friend as will she do so if nothing could be done with the others life threatening wounds. Feeling she calmed down Lightning lets go and runs to the Pulsian healer to help with her comrades wounds. Looking in the sky Mel sees Barthandelus has risen from the depths of the waters below his dreaded smirk retuned from his damaged and wounded form the blades surrounded him like knights protecting their King.

"Revel in your anguish and take form as Ragnorak, Key Puppet."

Mel replied with a middle finger and shouted, "F**k you you f***ing BASTARD! GO TO HELL DAMN YOU!" Insulted Barthandelus shoots a few more blades and hits the teen legs she fell to the ground with a thud and cried in pain.

"A lesson this shall serve. Thanks to your power I no longer have energy to carry out my plans. For now I shall return to Cocoon and recharge and heal myself. The vermin are safe for now but who knows, who will save you tools from the unexpected?" With that he vanishes in a ball of light and all that was left were the devastation from the battle and five wounded L'cie. Vanille was the only one not mortally wounded but she felt alone and scared unsure what she should do, Lightning held her wound and tried her best to carry everyone back to the house with Odin in Gesalt mode, the rain continued to flow even when the party returned. It was a race against time but for now they were blessed with more time since the Fal'cie was just as or much more hurt than the L'cie, still time shouldn't be wasted and Vanille with Odin, under the will of Light, they began to work and treat the serious wounds her friends currently suffered from. As her hands were stained crimson Vanille thought to herself,

'Please Goddess Etro, help me in my time of need! I don't want to lose my friends, please!' Pleading she tried her best to not cry she prayed that things will be greater when the storm ends.

'Please be okay...'

* * *

A/N: NOOOO! What have I done!? I nearly killed everyone off! D: Eidolon Light is dead and returned to Valhalla, rest in peace Light! Hope this was a good chapter and an alright fight between the L'cie and Fal'cie, and sorry for the bleeped out vulgar language I got caught in the moment, sorry, well not sure what else to put down please leave a comment, review, question or a request of what you want to see next time you can PM me or leave it in the review box. Every review is accepted,( not sure why I wrote flames will be ignored in previous chapters) because it will show what I can do to improve my writing And the story so yeah... Well, until next time... Ciao...


	28. Adventure of Oerba Dia Vanille

A/N: Hey again once more, AeonLegacy here at the newly refurbished Viewing Box ready to begin. Hopefully the story is still good and not beginning to bore any of you readers so I am trying my best to make sure the story is still going strong!( Just putting this out there randomly.) Oh, and I would like to thank everyone for reading my story as well because this fanfiction here has a little more than 6,000 views( throws party) plus none of this wouldn't have been done if not for everyone one of you so much! So anyway, back to the story, well thanks to Barthandelus and his new attack of seeking blades had left all but our young friend Vanille very injured in an almost life threatening state. Thankfully the L'cie were given more time to re-cooperate since the Fal'cie was just as _mortally _wounded as the party and all of their brands are not moving as fast as they thought so the train to C'ieth city is delayed. This may be a shorter chapter because its going to be focused on Vanille and her POV(point of view) so I think I can say this could be a side chapter of what goes on while the team gets treated and better. So yeah... Well enjoy!

* * *

Vanille's POV:

The battle from yesterday against Barthandelus took a very great toll on everyone physically it will take months to get these wounds healed. Honestly it was a miracle to know that everyone was going to make it through, when I tended to Hope, Snow, Sahz and Fang the blades were so deep through their vital organs I thought I wouldn't have time to heal them all from the damage they took. I mean normally people would die from suffocation or mostly blood loss if they had something puncture their lungs or important organs and believe me they had more than one blade through their lungs and other, it should have been full of blood! Then again none of us are normal, nobody is, we are L'cie with a mission to complete and none of us will just simply give up and die from any fatalities in a drop of a hat.

I sighed deeply to myself as I sat upon the roof of my and Fangs home watching the clouds go by basking in the citrus orange light of the arriving dawn, the crystal clear shores of Lake Oerba reflected the same light in the waters as the clouds, it took me so many hours to treat everyones wounds I should have been asleep when I was finished, unfortunately the nightmares come for me stronger than before I can't run from them when I sleep and thinking of happier times won't change the fact the problem is still there. I know my magic abilities improved a lot and but in the end I still was protected and Hope is lying in one of the vacant rooms, with the guys, in pain and near death if not for me! All I could do is heal them, take care of them, and watch them suffer, I bring my legs up to my chest and held them in my arms, my hands gripping together tightly, as I rested my head on my knees not truly sure of what I should do...

'What should I do? There isn't much to do at the moment, Hecatoncheir is trying his best but strangely his healing capabilities, mind you all of our Eidolons have better healing powers than us mere L'cie, isn't taking much effect then it should... I feel so lost Hecaton... What should I do?' I wondered to myself hoping he would hear me and aid me like he did at Ma'habarra Subterranean flower filled fissure and showed me I was able to grow stronger, though not strong enough if Hope had to defend me when Fang couldn't. I felt my eyes water so I quickly wiped them away so no tears would fall, I couldn't shake this feeling away from me not when I could see Eidolon Lights grave from up here, the improvised stone pile with Morning Glories and that strange yet beautiful white flower I found so long ago I placed it on the grave as tribute made a small shadow in front of the lake's shores, she sacrificed herself for our cause and now she is gone... I spent some time with her though she was never around long with us during training and up until the end I saw she was ready to give up anything, even her life, if it meant keeping something or someone alive. She was strong to do so but not me, I want to be stronger so nothing can go wrong and not have others protect me with their life.

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

I heard someone tapping against the glass and the sound pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked from the roof, upside down, to see it was Lightning who caught my attention. I climbed down loudly, not really that nimble as the pink haired woman in the living room, and ran through the door. She looked at me while sitting on a wooden chair, my hands rested on my hips and I gave her an upset mixed worried look. Light doesn't show anything but mutters a single 'what?'

"You know what, Light. How on Pulse did you get out of bed and out here?" I questioned her, ready to lecture her about her situation as I would to Fang. Lightning stares at me with blank eyes, even though her only serious wound was the one on her midriff it could still bleed open from moving around too much on her feet, and gives me a curt shake of the head.

"I've been sleep walking lately, started since late in the evening while you were treating Fang. Woke up outside around one in the morning and before six a little after you went outside I woke up in the hall this time and now here I am..." She replied monotone. I felt concerned now since she explained what's going on with her in the past few hours. Maybe its nothing and it could be her muscle memory reacting even though its hurt.

"Did you hear or see anything strange? Like soft whispering or disembodied voices? Or plain anything out of the ordinary?" I ask her trying to see if my suspicions were true. Of the late myself I have been hearing strange things that makes me fall in a trance but I somehow shake the feeling away. I look at Lightning and she slowly shook her head.

"I felt like I was following the sound of music, one I feel like I have never heard before in my life but I had the urge to hear it better so I followed after it. What does that have to do with anything? Nothing, right?" She asks me but when I looked at the floor she knew I didn't have the answers. I perked up when an idea popped in my head.

"Maybe we could ask Mel, maybe whatever happened to her back at home could be happening to us." Light raised an eyebrow at me and makes me have a 'maybe I should reconsider my idea' moment.

"You sure we should ask her? I mean, she looked in worse shape emotionally than physically. Think its a good idea to talk to her, Vanille?" She asks me, I simply nod and doesn't seem to mind.

"Before I go do you need anything?" I ask to the pink hair woman so she doesn't have to stand on her own. She shakes her hand and waves her hand in the direction of the hallway, I nod and followed the direction of her hand.

* * *

Mel's room was dark as I peered into the slightly open door, the only light that illuminated the room as a blue thunder spell in the corner of the room by the bed that was right in front of me. I had to ask her if she could understood the strange things that have been occurring since late in the evening and maybe she could somehow, indirectly, help me get stronger for the next fights. I breathed all my uncertainty out of my system and opened the door, the blue thunder spell vanished and a hoarse voice spoke.

"Need something Vanille?" Mel asked through the shadows, I was hesitant at first but I continued. As I sat on the chair I placed next to the bed she asked,

"Not here to check up on me are you?" I looked through the darkness to see where she was but couldn't it was like Mel became a ghost in the darkness.

"No... I've been meaning to ask you but before you came to our world did anything strange happen to you? Anything at all?" I asked. The room was eerily silent for a moment, maybe she doesn't want to talk and I guess I could try again later. I stood up and accidentally bumped the chair it skid across the floor a bit making that annoying 'creek' sound. After that commotion Mel spoke,

"Yeah... Besides getting struck by lightning, natures most unusual and unpredictable weather pattern, I heard music like this fanmade song of your theme. I don't know why I heard it but it somehow eased my pain through the whole thing. Well, then I blacked out of course." Hearing music that eased pain? Hmm...

Just as I thanked her and made my way to the door she stops me by dropping something, I turned around to see the room well lite with light and a musty old book on the nightstand beside the bed. She points to the book and tells me something.

"I found this the day before yesterday, I think, and began reading it. So much incredible tales and legends I denied a lot of it, except one story." Mel flips the book open to the story she read and points it out to me, it was written in the Oerbean language but there was a picture of a golden ark shaped into a music box.

"I couldn't read this and ,though you taught everyone how to read your home language, I couldn't recognize anything in this story." I grabbed the book, holding it in my hands, and looked over the title: "Songless Box." I never heard of this story before and I knew everything of Gran Pulses history. I looked at Mel, hoping to explain the reason for showing me this story only she waves me to take it without words, silently thanking her though confused I walked out of the room back to tell Light.

* * *

Returning to the living room I expected to see Lightning on the chair but it was Hope in her stead.

"Hope! What are you doing out here!?" I questioned him, my sudden outburst made him jump in fright.

"Oh! Hey Vanille! Jeez, you scared me out of my bandages! Sorry, I didn't know you were there." He says chucking dryly, I stared at him the same way I did with Light and his eyes darted around the room trying to avoid my gaze. I sigh and asked,

"How are you feeling?" Hope shrugs his shoulders and replied with an alright expression on his face. I couldn't see his bandaged chest since he wore his black shirt over it but hopefully he is feeling alright without having too much pain shooting into him, least of all coughing up blood.

"Where did Light go?" I asked, curious since she was right where Hope is sitting when I left her for a minute or two. He shrugs his shoulders again and told me she went to see Mel after you were done for something and wasn't sure what for. I took a seat across from him and opened the book to the marked story, " Songless Box."

"What is that your reading?" Hope asks from across of me. I don't look at him, my eyes wandering over the words of the story,

"Reading something that could help with everyone's wounds." I explained without moving my eyes from the book.

"How so?" He asks. I wasn't entirely sure so I remained quiet until I could find the answers.

'_The Songless Box was a legendary trinket, one with abilities beyond the tribe of Dia's comprehension. The tribe elder took it to the Shaman for more information of such a device that appeared out of nowhere only to be sent away with more questions than answers. The Elder wandered the compound of Dia for hours with the box, legends tell the box was from an eternal being known as, Sanatore, the Healer which to the tribes specialties could greatly benefit the tribe and the many others that lived in peace in the compound. The tent of the wounded appeared before the elder and he entered looking over the wounds and pain within the contorted faces of the young blooded hunters and scribes from the Yun and Dal tribes. In his leather purse a glow came, it was the golden box that glowed gold with the wings of angels slowly rotating and opened the lid. The hunters and scribes all claimed the box produced music, sweet and gentle or monotone and morbid, yet the elder and healers heard nothing but the eased sighs of the injured. The day after the elder returned and the injured were healed over night, even the near death patients were healed. Curious the elder went on a hunt and allowed himself to be hurt, his dominant left arm had jagged slash marks down his shoulder to his wrist. The box glowed from his purse and took it out, the wings slowly rotating and opened the lid, when the box opened the tribe elder heard music of a simple wonderful lullaby and the pain no longer harmed him. Later that evening he was healed in mere hours.'_

_'_That is very interesting but how on Pulse is a myth going to help us?' I thought to myself, telling Hope what I just read and explaining to him the events that happened in the story. He listened and this time I read aloud.'

_"The Dal's were the scribes but they were also treasure hunters corrupted by greed. They saw the elder with the golden box and wanted the power for themselves and decided to take it during the Recipitque Caerimonia. Sneaky and very nimble they struck during the festivities using every dirty trick known to the people on Pulse who held no honor, nothing but self desires, to kill the elder and the witnesses. During their daring escape the leader of the Dal's were wounded and went to a secluded area in Yaschas Massif to heal the injured. Same as before the box opened and glowed, wings rotated until the lid was open, instead of music playing from the ark painful and tormented wails of the damned filled the ears of the injured his ears bleed so did his nose and eyes. Not even a minute goes by and the man fell dead sprawled before his tribesmen. Horrified the sound of the dying man alerted the other tribes and sentenced the guilty to burn on the pyre. The Yun and Dia tribe members were the only ones who knew of the incident and believed it was best to hide the treasure away so no one may ever be exposed to such horror again."_

"Wow, that was pretty something huh, Vanille?" Hope says to me after I finished reading. I still didn't understand how this story could help us, I was about to close the book until I noticed something on the page. It was faded pen marks. I followed the pen mark to the back to see a page with a hand made map of Gran Pulse with a circle and arrow pointing to someplace in Archylte Steppe. It was something I wouldn't do but for the sake of my friends and for the sake of the people of Cocoon it was worth looking into. Judging this myth is true I had to take the risk!

I stood up to my feet quickly knocking my chair over to the floor, grabbed my healers wand and my Nirvana wand with several vials of potions and Libra I ran out the door ignoring Hopes confused cries he shouts my way and ran out of Oerba riding my way back to Taejins tower on the elevator, heading to Archylte Steppe on the back of Hectonocheir.

* * *

I examined the contents of the back of the book once more hoping to find the location of the marked page, Hectonocheir turned in the directions I pointed at but we both got confused while examining the written map and my digital map of the Steppe. I hung my head in confusion, Hectonocheir did the same and I fell off of his head to land hard on my backside. Rubbing my lower back I looked up at my Eidolon and pouted at him, waving a fist in the air at his face.

"Hey! That wasn't very nice Hecaton!" I cried out his nickname, he bowed his head and slowly backed away from me. I apologized to him and he returned by my side.

"This map makes no sense than my digital one! The landscape is much different than the one I'm in which makes it all the more challenging and confusing." I said aloud throwing my hands in the air and landing onto the grass with my back. The grass crunched healthily under me and I stared at the skies thinking things over.

"Am I really going on a goose hunt for something I never heard of?" I asked myself thinking somehow Hecaton would answer me but he doesn't. I sighed and closed my eyes, but when I did the events from yesterday play over and over again like I'm reliving that moment. I can't wake up and everything starts so suffocate me until I heard something, something very faint; music... Sweet and calm like a gentle lullaby of flutes and a piano mixing their gentle notes together, it was beautiful I wanted to relish in its melody.

'Can you hear that Hecaton?' I asked mentally and fell into the longest but blissful dream ever, not once had my nightmares returned to haunt me since.

* * *

My eyes suddenly fluttered open and was greeted with the black veil of night. I shot up to my feet in seconds nearly stumbling backwards but caught my footing. I looked around the area I was in and saw there were more monsters lurking around here and I know I am outmatched with such great numbers.

"Oh no! I've been sleeping too long! I have to head back home and try another day. Come on Hecaton... Huh? Hecaton?" I looked at my Eidolon standing in place with his back facing me, motionless than the stones staring at something.

"Hecaton? What's the matter? Are you alright? Do anything to show that your alright!" I asked sounding somewhat desperate. My Eidolon was a very bubbly guy dispute his intimidating stature and outward appearance, he was a dark knight with a bi heart, and I started to feel scared that he doesn't do anything but stand still. I try once more to call his name but he responds by pointing in front of him, there a dark dot in front of us and he started walking toward it like he was in a trance.

"W-wait!" I say to him running to keep up. Barely nipping at his heels to match his leisure walk the dark hole grows and I realized the hole was a cave, one that was never there before leading down to descend into the pitch black abyss. There were limestone stairs before us and just looking into the darkness I was hesitant at first to go but I knew Hectonocheir would be there for me. I look Up at him as he looks down at me and we both walk down into the unknown waiting to greet us.

* * *

The stairs felt endless no matter how far we went down, the light that we had to guide us was my hand glowing fiery red from my Firaga spell I held firmly in place. Afraid the dark would swallow me whole I remained vigilant, I heard music in my dream and this could be the entrance to the Songless Box.

Hecaton soon pulled back to part of the stairs, shivering like he's either cold or scared. I tried to sooth him the best I could, something was definitely bothering him and I had To keep him calm or he could cause a cave in with his massive size.

Realizing my efforts were put in vain I asked he return to his crystal form and he immediately obliged, returning to his crystal form leaving me to advance alone. In the silence I felt like I would go crazy to hear the same faint noise growing louder and closer with each step. I gasp and hurried down the stairs as fast as my legs could carry me and say light shining in front of me I quickened my pace until I burst through the opening. Blinded at first it took a few minutes to adjust my eyes, when I did I scanned around the room, it was very large surrounded by a clear glassy lake with a marble bridge and platform far our of reach making an octagonal shape. Pure light shone from the ceiling and something basked in it, it was hard to tell but a glimmer of gold caught my attention and I ran full throttle toward the light to get a better look at whatever it was that was shining brightly. The marble bridge clicked under my heels as I ran, the closer I got the more I recognized the design of the box, it was really the Ark of Healing or the Songless box!

"It can't be! But its here! It's real, hahaha!" I almost cried with tears as I continued, when I did something shot up from the waters and I halted in place with my Nirvana wand at the ready. The thing that came from the water was a giant statue being the color of ebony in clad armor of a, what was that?, Knights Templar?... With a Falcion strapped to its hip and a Maltis blade in hand with a carved alabaster cross of the Templars on its breast plate. It's hollow yellow eyes made me freeze in place.

"Quaerat arcam habent curationum?" It asks in a deep voice. I knew this was a dead language long forgotten, he asks 'who seeks the ark of healing?' I swallowed my fear, mustered all my courage with my weapon at my side, to respond in the same dialect.

"De familia membrum sum Dia, Oerba Dia Vanille. Auxilium quaero arca salus, mei vulnerati." 'I am a member of the Dia clan, Oerba Dia Vanille. I seek the Ark of Healing to aid my friends, mortally wounded.' I respond in an even tone. The knights eyes narrow then are closed, still it spoke.

"In Dia familia invenerunt arcum et absconderunt hic cum Yun spes esset in familia ultra iam non invenietur. Heu consilium defecit. Dia pars iuvenum voluntatem: sed ego video non bona mente pura donvani tibi arcam de arca superat mihi respondeat et tu bellum." 'The Dia clan, they discovered the ark and hidden it here with the Yun clan in hopes it would never be found again. Alas their plan has failed, young Dia member I see your heart is pure with kind intentions but I will not freely give you the ark, defeat me in battle and the power of the ark shall respond to you.' It told me darkly as it opened its eyes and stood read with the Falcion and Maltis blades in each hand.

'Am I ready for this task? Am I strong enough to beat the guardian of the ark?' I questioned myself at first when I realized I shouldn't hesitate and doubt myself. I shook my head and held a firm gaze trying to mask my fear with strength and confidence. I raised my wand up, standing in my battle stance, and spoke to it in a calm and collected voice,

"Paratus sum. Ego, Oerba Dia Vanille, hoc accipio, provocatio ad arcum petere aut mori conatur!" 'I am ready. I, Oerba Dia Vanille, hereby accept your challenge to claim the ark or die trying!'

"Fortia verba mortale, verbis santis. Veniat ad me! Ostende mihi faciem taum veram Potestatem!" 'Brave words mortal one, enough words. Come at me! Show me your true power!'

* * *

Battle sequence begin:

The Knight of stone stood firmly against Vanille with her Nirvana wand ready, they glared at each other for a moment waiting for the other to strike first. Anxious the Knight was ready to kill. Raising its Falcion above its head it cried loudly,

"Mille Laminis!" In seconds the short blade starts to vanish and turned to smoke, surrounding the pair in fog until thousands of blades appear acting as a barrier. One blade shoots from behind Vanille and comes at her in a swift movement. Feeling danger Vanille runs forward to avoid the blades from piercing her. One by one from the very top row came a rain of identical Falcions digging themselves into the marble platform aiming to smite the red head. Vanille sees the knight is standing idle and, while she ran, sent several spells of Fira, Thudaga and Wateraga at her opponent hoping it'll slow down the attacks. Seeing magic coming its way the Knight raises its Maltis sword and said softly,

"Scutum Angeli!" In seconds a large Templar shield, as fine as a spiders web and transparent, appeared from the blades tip and protected it from harm. Enraged the shield was cracked from the impact of the spells the thousand blades attack doubled the swords speed and attacking the red head faster and harder than before. Vanille begins to breathe harder from her efforts of running away from getting stabbed, knowing this'll wear her out before anything begins she summon. Her Eidolons stone and stopped in place.

"Come on out, Heca-" but doesn't have time to finish her summon as the blades stop the Knight slashes at her hand holding the stone and kicks it away, Vanilles hand bleeding from the gash of the blade.

"Irae Divinae!" It said and a blue ring of a strange transmutation circle with Latin symbols appear around the pair. The light grew brighter and traps our young friend in a cage of light no bigger no wider than her own body structure. Dropping her wand in the process Vanille stares on his horror as the knight raises its Maltis blade ready to thrust it in her heart, calmly walking and showing no emotion of mercy it picks up it pace and sprints lunging its blade at the Pulse healer. Looking around for a weapon nearby a hilt was just in her reach, careful to not touch the light she strains to grab the hilt of the blade, closer and closer the knight gets the hilt is finally in her hands and pulls it from the earth. Not very knowledgable with a sword she raises it in front of her as much as she can and waits. The knight brushes the fact a blade of his is raised against him rams himself into the blade and somehow the cage of light dissipates freeing Vanille from immobility.

"Qualis?" The knight thought to itself intrigued the girl was freed, a blade digging itself into its side. Wand at the ready Vanille summons Hectonocheir while the enemy was distracted and the duo fights relentlessly.

"Thundaga! Firaga! Aeroga! Quake!" Vanille cried out the spells and they aimed at the knight, still puzzled by what had happened the knight didn't take notice he was being attacked until electricity crashed down on him from the heavens, fire scorched his armor hotter than the earths core and the calm breeze turns to violent gales turning the wind into a blistering inferno mixed with the spikes from nature. Seeing an opportunity Hectonocheir sends multiple cabled arms at the enemy to grab hold of him ensuring he doesn't escape, Vanille sends continues waves of magic at the knight trying to wear it down and since the libra spell had no effect on the guardian at all. Black smoke envelopes the platform though it didn't reach the far distance of Vanille since she was meters away. The Summoner and Eidolon watched the thick clouds of smoke glide more to spread its shroud, nothing happens a moment as minutes pass by and Hectonocheir glares at the smoke almost as if he was scanning for the enemies presence. Beads of sweat trickle from Vanilles face as nothing came from the clouds, she knew the enemy was still alive since the cage of rotating blades remained in place.

"Crusesignati Calvariae..." A disembodied voice spoke through the dark clouds. In mere seconds gales and squalls force the smoke away and the force sends razor sharp winds at Vanille and Hectonocheir they received multiple cuts and bruises, the wind was so sharp and piercingly loud Hectonocheir had no choice but to let go of the knight. Lowering her arms from her eyes while squinting through slits Vanille tries her best to make out the figures form feeling something was wrong here, Hectonocheir send barrages of destructive orbs at the figures until it her that the knight had an army to his call and were now outnumbered.

Arrows, Ballistas and crossbows ready to fire the army waited for their wounded commanders call as it kneeled, as if praying, and raised its head to glare at his opponents. Standing tall fighting the pain the knight was impressed to have met an opponent strong enough to harm him that he was so wounded that he turned to call his backup, the Crusader's Calvary spell, to aid him but not so enough to surrender the ark,

"Robustum quidem, sed quomodo agas Templarii in exercitu; diam iuvenis?" 'Strong indeed, but how will you fare against the Templar army; young Dia?" The knight asked emphasizing his point showcasing the brothers in arms standing behind him. Vanille didn't answer as she bent her knees and placed her hands on them so she could somehow catch her breath, the fight taking a great toll on her as it dragged on. Adamant to take the box for the sake of her friends she stood tall as well and responded to the knight in a calm and somewhat reserved tone.

"Nolo enim quid me quaeritis amisis meis propter arcum; Et si dicator, quicquid ad salutem necessarium causa enim moriar salvare." 'I care not what happens to me, I seek the Ark for the sake of my friends my family! I will do whatever it takes if it meant to save them. I'll die for my cause to save them...'

Holding his Maltise blade in front of him, both hands resting on the signet crest on the top of the hilt, the knight nods in approval and says slowly while raising his blade in front of his face signaling his archers to ready themselves.

"Commendo tibi singultu fortia verba mortale. Sagittarii!" 'I commend you for your strong words mortal one. Archer!' The army of archers raised their bows and crossbows, escspecially the Ballistas, skyward.

"Ignis!" The Knight Templar leader cried 'fire!' And the archer released their bowstrings. Their arrows became a dark veil shrouding the air above in darkness, Hectonocheir was about to shield his wounded summoner but she raised her hand to him and he stopped in his tracks. Vanille looked into her Eidolons eyes and had her almost forgotten perky smile on her face.

"It's alright Hecaton. I can handle this myself..." She told her Eidolon calmly in a whisper. Feeling her confidence Hectonocheir nods at her and reverts back to his crystal form and returned to whence he came. Closing her eyes for a moment, finally caught her breath, Vanille looks cooly at the shower of arrows ready to pierce her. Holding a hand over her chest to feel her heartbeat Vanille's thoughts wandered to her friends during their fun and dire times and smiled warmly.

"My power... Comes from my friends. And I'm tougher than I look!" She cried with her smile brimming, the rain of arrows was nearly upon her and was very close. Holding her hand up by her head the red head thrusts her hand forward summoning a very powerful wind spell it became a hurricane made and held in place by the palm of her hand. The hurricane swallowed the entire hailstorm of arrows in a single gulp, the leader was taken aback and orders his subordinates to send in multiples waves of arrows without stopping.

"Ignis!" The commander bellowed and the archers came back again and again. The hurricane could only hold on to her will for so long it might not last through more waves like this. More and more arrows rain down or are swallowed by the storm, Vanille has to think quick to get past the showers and through the army. Thinking back the girl remembers out of the blue a very powerful spell she learned long ago but knew the consequences, knowing what would happen Vanille discards her fear to replace it with unnerving bravery and summons a white violet transmutation circle around her with the symbols of Gran Pulse and the Divine being Etro.

"Numine divae, fluit ignibus et ventis et aqua et terra, et lucem tenebras statem. Infirimitatem atque innocentiam tueri possis efficere. Placet audire me..." 'Power of the Goddess, flowing with the earth and the wind and the flames and water standing beside the darkness and light. Bring about your power to protect the weak and innocent. Please hear me.' Vanille's eyes were closed but as the circle begins to glow brighter the light begins to merge and form strange alien markings on her flesh, making a pattern of strange tribal tattoos.

The Knights start to cower in fear though remain as stoic as possible through their helms. The commanding officer, the original opponent for the Oerban girl, stares at what is happening before his eyes but still commands his officers to shoot and they comply. Somehow sweat trickles from the guards brow as he thinks to himself in awe,

"Quarum virtus procedens ab eius animo! Hoc oportet esse potentiam ad finem huius puellae! Diam fortitudo et potentia maiore tulit. Ego quippe minoris aestimanda mortali puella nimis." 'Such strength emanating from her heart! This must be the girls power to end this!' Closing his eyes a face came to his thoughts, one he thought he had forgotten ages ago. Somehow he couldn't help but smile to the face he remembered. 'She carries the fortitude and power of a Dia elder. I have clearly underestimated this mortal girl greatly.' Thought the Knight.

As the light finishes creating the marking by forming symbols over her eye lids Vanille opens her eyes swiftly and her eyes were nothing but the same white violet light surrounding her being and that marked her skin.

"Templarii, impetum!" 'Templars, attack!' The knight shouted and the army charged, their metal boots of armor made thundering sounds as they ran toward the red head.

Vanille remained in place and allowed herself the be attacked, swords and maces and shields and clubs struck her body but left no marks. In the process the light acted as and armor for the red head demolishing whatever that touched her to break in half. Staring at her enemies a frown came upon her lips as she spoke in the forgotten language to the attacking soldiers,

"Obsecro, ignosce mihi." 'Please, forgive me.' Clasping her hands her hands together like in prayer Vanille bowed her head, ignoring the fact she was getting beat up without getting a scratch on her, she whispers softly saying a spells name,

"Divinum Erinys." 'Divine Fury.'

Soon the violet light turned to white blue entangling all but the leader in snake like traps created from the light. Struggling and cutting at the light proved futile, similar like the Greek creature the Hydra cut off one head and more will replace it no matter how much you cut off, the lights grew more appendages from where it had been cut off quickening the pace of engulfing the soldiers in illuminating cocoons. Tears fell from Vanille's eyes but this seemed like a realistic illusion and she was going to break it. Holding her hands open before her she then clasped them tightly simultaneously to the spells name.

"Furor Loculo." 'Coffin of Madness'

Saying the name of the spell the encased soldiers soon were crushed within the space of their shells, not even muffled screams could be heard from the dense skin of the light. Then the light vanished from sight and reverted the red head back to normal. When it was only Vanille and the Knight Templar alone it was a showdown to the last, both very wounded and tired from the fighting their bodies screaming to rest neither succumbed to the plea. Wielding the sword she picked from from before Vanille tried her best to keep it steady in her hands and tried her best to emulate Lightning or Mel since they were the groups sword wielders. Seeing this is where it must end the Knight held his own blade as firm as he could and as steady as possible he ran forward as Vanille did the same.

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A/N: sorry for this, this isn't the end but to help clarify this if you watched Bleach imagine this is the fight against Ichigo and Byakuya in the second season as their final battle in the Seireitei(not sure if this is spelled correctly) Sorry back to the story!

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As they drew closer to one another both thrust their blades at their enemy. The blades seemed to have missed their targets at first glance, a minute later Vanille had a very deep and large gash on her left shoulder it began from near her armpit and ended to her mid back. Blood flew and spilled over the floors staining the marble floor she collapsed from the pain and sudden massive blood loss. The Knight swung his blade to the side and inserted it back into its scabbard, the thousand blade spell wore off and the Falcion returned to its owner. The Knight looked at the fallen, bleeding girl and began to walk away from her.

"A dignus probatur inimicus vobis Dia puella. Commendo tibis tua, sicut locutus est tibis ad arcam. Sit illius potestate sanaret vulnerati ones, et nunc vale. Mortale." 'A worthy opponent you proved to be Dia girl. I commend you for your worth and for your strength, as promised the Ark is yours to take. Let its power heal your wounded ones, farewell. Mortal.' In a heartbeat the Knight suddenly crumbled to his knees and by the waist was cut in half and turned to dust. Half awake and half unconscious Vanille tries too reach for the ark on the pedestal in vain as it is too far out of her reach. Crying in pain she forces herself to move only to have more blood escape her body and feels more strained and tired.

'I can't... I can't let it end here!' She cries to herself but her body is too weak to move. Staring at the box until her vision turns black she mutters a single word before her mind slipped away.

"Everyone..."

* * *

The dark world of death cradles Vanille in its arms escorting her soul from her earthly vessel. She thought how much she failed and succeeded in life and smiled, she got stronger and did what she thought she never knew, if only she was still alive to save Cocoon as she promised. Staring into the void she walked endlessly nothing in sight. She didn't question whether or not she dead or alive she accepted her fate, when she felt content the sound of the same melody filled her ears. She gasped and looked around trying to find the source of the music but heard a voice with the music,

"Well done young blood, you have done what so many had failed to accomplish and upon thee I bestow you life to live once more. Live and complete your focus." The voice was all she could focus on, trying to grasp the voice of the one that spoke. Vanille felt her heart become heavy and a face came to mind.

"Elder?" The voice did not speak again and the golden light of the ark wrapped itself around Vanille's body and healed her scratches, serious wound and restored strength to her body. Shooting her eyes open from her real body Vanille shot straight up and looked at her surroundings, much was destroyed here and there were fresh marks to prove a battle had ensued here. Standing to her feet she examined herself to see her minor cuts and bruises were gone but the injury she sustained from the Knight became a scar, she wouldn't want to get rid of it for anything, and she thought about Fangs words, 'these scars are reminders that proves that I protected my family. I wouldn't want them gone no matter what.' No longer dwelling in her thoughts Vanille ran up to the pedestal and grabbed the Ark, soon she summoned Hectonocheir to her call and rode on his back. Pointing to the exit with that perky smile on her face she cried,

"Back to Oerba Hecaton!" And the two made their way back.

* * *

Back at Oerba:

It had been more than a few days and Vanille still didn't turn up like Snow had assured Fang. The huntress was restless and determined to find the little red head in her current state no matter what, she was too damn worried about the girl her wounds didn't stop her much.

"Relax Fang! I bet she'll be back before you know it!" Snow tells Fang blocking her way from leaving the house using his massive size to his advantage. Fang growled and snapped,

"What if she doesn't come back!? What if the enemy kidnapped her, Snow!? If you don't move I'll ram you over myself!" She threatened pointing the end of her dark Lance in his face. A little afraid but just as concerned for their friend Hope came to help smooth the situation over.

"She said she will be back no matter what, apparently she went to go get something in the Steppe but didn't say clearly what."

Fang turned her attention to the smaller silver haired boy and glared at him.

"And you didn't stop her!? You were the last one to see her, Hope!" Fighting back the urge to hide behind something he held his ground.

"I understand you're upset Fang, we all are. You just have to trust Vanille, she isn't as weak as she was before. I doubt she needs someone to protect her all the time."

"The boys right! When we traveled together she saved my hide more times than I could protect her, not that I'm saying I didn't do my job right. It's that she just has to cast away her fear and she will be just as deadly as you and SOLDIER girl when paired up together in a fight, ya know?" Sahz says from the sidelines taking Hope and Snows side.

Noise from the entrance of Oerba caught Lightnings attention she whipped her head to where the ridge was that they all took to get down to the homes and to reach the other parts of the deserted city she held her Gun blade, Helter-Skelter, in gun mode and aimed it steady ready to shoot at whatever came toward them. The others saw their, "new leader", and followed suit. They waited as it felt like an eternity passed by, ready to attack in their current condition Light saw something dark and nearly shot a bullet at it to find it was the armor of Hectonocheir.

"What the?" She said under her breath in confusion. As the Eidolon came closer and closer the perky red head was on its back waving at everyone smiling. Nobody moved as they waited for her, Fang and the others sighed deeply in relief as they saw her. Jumping off of Hecatons back and returning him back to his crystal form Vanille ran up to the others but mostly ran up to Fang and hugged her on the verge of tears.

"Where have you been all this time, Missy? You scared the hell outta me when you didn't come back the past few days. Don't do that ever again, okay?" Fang explained and pleaded to the red head. Vanille nods in agreement and lets go.

"You guys wouldn't believe what happened to me while I was gone!" She says happily. Gasping again she remembered about the Ark and pulled it out of her pouch showing it to everybody. Getting confused glances from everyone she explained.

"This is called the Songless Box. The Dia and Yun clans hid this healing artifact many years ago and somehow I manage to find it thanks to Hectonocheir and Mel. I thought this was a myth at first but it isn't and I can use this to heal your wounds." Not giving anyone to say anything the wings on the Ark rotate and opened the lid, music that appealed to each individuals ears played and their injuries were healed, leaving scars in place, and gave the party energy to strengthen the weak feeling their bodies screamed for for rest. Removing their bandages to look that their wounds were healed everyone turned to Mel with a surprised look. Looking confused she shrugged her shoulder and said, "What?"

"Did you know this thing existed?" Light asked the confused teen. Mel shakes her head.

"No! I swear I don't know anything about that thing. I was looking through books and just told Vanille what I found, I didn't tell her to go hunting for it, honest."

Nobody buys the teens ignorance to the adventure the red head went on so they all lectured her, all but the Healer who watched everyone with a large grin and thanked the powers of the divine for giving her a second chance.

Letting everyone have a few hours of rest Vanille told her tale of what had happened, there were some questions and blurts of surprise to the spell she used from Fang it was nice to be home again. Side glancing at the interloper, who was getting teased at from Fang, Vanille wandered if Mel knew because she was slowly forgetting her own home and was in a way thinking of this world as her home now.

Lightning stood up in front of the group like a politician about to give their speech and gave everyone their next target on their agenda.

"We will remain here for a few hours and return to Cocoon of Mnerva. If things are still quiet and peaceful, nothing strange going on, we will head to Bohdum AKA my and Serah's home to be our temporary base until things happen. We will need all the time we can get to walk around the crowds without being spotted, we will travel in pairs or groups and blend in with the crowd to get what we need and get any information we can get our hands on. That clear?" Everyone agrees and stood to their feet.

"Why not head to Cocoon now? Could get more information if we become the early bird yeah? If we go later who knows what we will miss." Mel suggests to the group and they turn to Light for approval, thinking things over with her eyes closed she comes to a conclusion minutes after and agrees. The party cleaned up the home and packed whatever they needed and headed toward the decimated bridge. Not wasting time they boarded on the dormant Mnerva in form of a large white airship they started the bird and headed straight for Cocoon.

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A/N: oh my GLOB! This is a very long chapters! *drops head on desk from too much typing* Well hope this was a good chapter, sorry if its long and has strange language in it. The strange dead language was Latin, I used google translate to help me with the words and sentences using the dead language. Plus the cameo entrance of the Knights Templars, I'm into this kind of stuff and the real Assassins creed that started in I think in Masyaf, Syria in the mountains( or lair) of Alamut. I couldn't resist myself so yeah. :D Anywho again sorry for the long chapter but thanks for reading! Please leave a comment, review, good/bad critisicm, question, etc. thank you everyone for your support and until next time, Ciao! ( Respect your fellow story writers as your friends! Sorry bored again DERP) What awaits the blind Sheep now as they return to the Utopia of wolves?


	29. On the way Home

A/N: What's up everyone!? Everyone having a good summer, day? Well, back to the story, uh The party is returning to the, " Nest of Vipers" on Mnerva and things are going according to Lightnings plan but will something happen? Lets find out, Enjoy!

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My POV:

The ride back to Cocoon was somehow peaceful, enemy airships left us alone while we flew through the clouds despite being airborne from the world below. Half of me was expecting to be attacked again like at the beginning while we fled from Lake Bresha and the other half was feeling pretty sure things would be fine, and that half won the fight. I couldn't shake this feeling away and of the late I've been having strange dreams, even weird daydreams, trying to make sense of it makes it even worse! I don't know why but the dreams all tell me that I used to know the Farron family real good an I used to go to the same school as Light! The hell is going on with me now?! Haven't I already been given too much problems as I am one? Like damn! I sighed deeply while I looked out the window and it seems to me we will be landing in the ships Docking station shortly after the ships in front of us, the whole place was packed with people and most of all Santum soldiers, as a last minute thing Lightning began making a check list.

"Everyone hand in your weapons and anything you all think might give us away to Mel since she is the one with the largest carrier. Once we land we will change out of our regular garments and into ones that will less likely get us noticed too much, understand?" She asked us in a calm tone scanning the situation that is laid out before us. We all pretty much nod in response and everyone hands me their belongings;

Light hands me her weapon, pauldron, cape and gloves since they showed she was apart of the Guardian Corp which would bring about suspicion since PSICOM and GC are working together to take down the wanted fugitives, hopefully Homeland Security is ignorant to the situations the other branches of the military are trying to keep under wraps. Snow gave me his gloves, since they were pure materialized ice, then his cap and his jacket leaving his blue sleeveless shirt and arms exposed. Luckily Lightning had an extra arm band so he could cover his forearm from being seen. Plus, Without his hat I wouldn't recognize him but he looks like his self from 13-2 cause his hair is spiky underneath it, huh. Third came Sahz and he handed his pistols in, since his brand was half exposed he buttoned up his shirt more 'til it was covered. Fourth was Hope, his weapon was fine since it was like a child's toy in the enemies eyes so he kept it, Vanille bandaged his wrist where his brand was and made sure his yellow bandana covered the bandages good then he took of his over shirt and passed it back just in case since he and Light were caught on tape in Palumpolum. He even gelled his hair like Zack Fair from Crisis Core, before killing Angeal, to be sure. Vanille handed her rod to me and she quickly changed behind Fang who in turn gave me her Lance and joined the red head in changing their clothes first and giving them to me. They did stand out so better safe than sorry. For me I hid my weapons in my pack the best I could and I stored my Buster blade in a carrier box to act as a shipment box or a package being ready to be sent off elsewhere, this guise has to work if we have to make it to Bohdum without a fight.

"Lets get this done shall we?" Fang asked as she returned to her seat beside me, I side glanced her way to see she was serious this time with no sense of fun and games gleaming in her eyes nor expression. The whole place felt tense again that I feared we would be discovered because of it, as we finally landed Sahz opened the hatch to let us out and I went last so I wouldn't slow anyone down with the load of crap I'm carrying! It was just heavy and a huge strain on my back when I began to wonder what I have in there.

Walking in an orderly, single file, fashion two Sanctum soldiers, whom we all recognize as Bohdum's Security Regement, greeted us out. Their weapons were cocked ready to fire in case something happened but aimed at the ground luckily. They asked our Pilot questions of where we came from, what do we have on board, the nonsense and checked our ship. Thankfully they found nothing out of the ordinary and didn't have to check our stuff so they let us go on our way.

"Man, the hell was that all about?" Snow asked Light right in front of me, their voices were hushed so I couldn't hear what they talked about so I dismissed it looking around the place we walked in and it was much bigger and more amazing than the airports back home thats for sure.

Leading us to the public bathrooms we all went to our respected rooms. I was about to go in the girls one until someone pushed me out. I looked up to see it was Light, her expression was unreadable and in a way she had sympathy in her eyes but why?

"What's the big idea, Light?" I asked her confused in a soft voice.

"You're going to go with Snow and the others to change, Mel. Sorry, but the way you look something will happen in here should you be seen and besides you look more of a teenage boy than a teenage girl. Don't do anything unusual in the other room thats all okay? Remind the others." She explains to me and closes the door behind her. I sighed with my head hung and Followed after the guys.

* * *

To put this simply the guys bathroom was clean but down right strange, not the same as the girls bathroom but then again I did get mobbed a few times from the girls when I walked in the girls bathroom and always had no choice, since i couldn't convince them otherwise, had to use the boys bathroom but here it was more cleaner and very stylish in a since with very light blue tiles and white floors, hairdresser looking mirrors and sparkling silver sinks. I encountered Hope, who portrays a look as the quiet kid in the back of the class with a black jacket and white pants and black shoes similar to converses and his hair was slicked back, and Snow, he looked like a how do you say it? A very modern yet sophisticated 'Bouncer?' I think that was the term in his leather jacket with his original black gloves and navy blue collar shirt and baggy grey jeans and his same old boots on. Plus his hair was spiky in the front and continued to spike down until it reached his neck that was straight at the bottom. Both gave me a very questionable looks and I waved them off.

"Please, don't ask." Was all I told them and entered a vacant stall. I came out portraying as the 'guy next door', I wore a simple sporty white shirt and since it was tight I made sure I used a binder for my chest ,just in case even though I didn't need it, blue ripped jeans and a sleeveless vest with a silver chain around my neck of a eight sided white green jade pendant and a belt that hung loose at my side of two handcuffs connecting to the belt as the links also I had my hair cut short from Vanille so I could put my bangs to the left side of my face for that sort of cool yet emo look, like Oblio from Dance Central sort of. Snow and Hope waited for me and we left. Sahz was out first before you know it. He had that jazz cat daddy look with dark shades and a navy blue dress clothes without the tie and a matching hat on his head leaning against a pillar whilst the Chocobo chick with just cruising in his front pocket chirping now and then, Snow called him by his false name, "Andreas", but he didn't respond.

"Come on old man. Come on you two, lets get him." Snow said and we pushed our way through the many bodies of civilians in our way. We got closer and Sahz finally took notice to us and waved.

"You kids finally done? Good, we just gotta wait for the girls." He says in a jazz like tone in his voice.

"None of them got out yet?" Snow asked. The old man shook his head.

"Lets just go over the plan one more time while we wait for them, but lets take a seat over there so we don't have to stand up all the time."

"Okay so this is what Light told us; we go by different names and identities entirely since we are sure they might have pictures of us since the accident in Palumpolum. You and Light being caught on camera just as much as me and Fang. You and Vanille were most likely caught on camera at Nautilus but you, Mel, we have no idea about but we do know Dysely wants you too not only us. So with these tickets we should look at the names Light and Fang made for us." Snow explained as he passed each of our boarding passes. I got mine and read the name, "Lucio Black", okay so Lucio is Italian for 'Light' I think and if I added the two names together I am called "Light Black or Black Light?" Damn it stop over analyzing things.

"What are you called Hope?" I asked the silver head teen, he looks at his card again and replies,

"I'm called "Alphonse Amil". What kind of names are these? Never heard of them before." Hope, I mean Alphonse, says looking at me as if I could clarify for him. I pointed to his first name and began to explain.

"Alphonse is French, in my world there are many different languages and nationalities that are old or forgotten or modern and so forth. Amil I'm not sure what it comes from but it means 'Hope' just to keep your real name hidden in there."

"Okay then what does it mean?" He asks again.

"I'm not sure what it means I just recognize something's that's all." I told him while scratching the back of my neck.

"Okay my name is "Apollo Bahr" or something. What's this supposed to mean, Me- I mean Lucio?" I took Snows card and looked it over, 'Apollo Bahr', I recognize these names too.

"Apollo is, in Greek mythology, a God and his name means strength. Your last name if it had a certain symbol above the 'A' it would be German for "Bear". And lets face it Snow your a really huge guy that people in my world called, "Fans", calls you a bear due to your size." I explained to him and Hope and Sahz agreed with me. He took his card back and thought things over muttering a little under his breath. It felt like hours until the other girls in our party came, when I looked their way when Fang called out to us from afar I couldn't recognize them even if they told me What they were going to use:

Vanille had the quiet look with a bright turtleneck and long dark jeans with her same beige boots, Fang was in a navy blue business suit with black heels and square rimmed glasses and her hair was neatly combed and wavy it looked nice, I just wanted to run up to her and ask "who are you and what have you done to Fang!?" Just for the hell of it. Lightning looked like she was out of town from how she stood out, she had blond streaks in her bangs with a v-cut long sleeve and ripped skinny jeans with dark buckled boots resembling her uniformed ones. They strode up to us casually and grabbed chairs from other tables to sit with us, somehow things didn't feel right since we are all not who we were but if we have to reach Bohdum we have to let the uncomfortable feeling set in place among us.

"The train hasn't arrived yet then huh?" Fang asked sounding sophisticated but was forced.

"It should be here in a few minutes." Snow says casually but his tone sounded a bit more deeper like a bear and how it roars.

"What's the plan this time, sis?" He asks looking over at Light who doesn't eve glare at him.

"We are going to just act normal as we can, Fang and I will stick together as business partners, Hope and Vanille and Mel you three will act as friends visiting from out of town ditching school, Snow and Sahz you two will be a pair too. We all will need to keep our com. Units close to hand should anything happen, we will meet at this address in case we get lost. Don't ask anyone for directions just walk until dark one of us will be bound to lead the rest of us should we get lost." She says in a low tone, her voice was the same but it sounded softer in my ears. Not in volume just less hostile. Since Gran Pulse I couldn't read their expressions but I wondered what went on in their heads since we, or should I say they, have returned home to where they have been born and raised on, lived and awakened in. Me I only know things from the worlds below not from above as now.

"HOONK!"

I turned my head to where the tracks ended and saw the train, a large one the same color blue or purple linked carts as the ship Sahz and Vanille went on to Nautilus. We stood in our groups going after other civilians to keep our distances, it was strange not being with the group but it had to be done and when we boarded we remained separated. Our car was almost empty save for two other civilians around mine and Hopes age that continued to cast glances our way but their eyes turned bitter or something to Vanille, I mean Vera, which in her reflection she showed in her cheery green eyes she was not pleased. She stood to her feet and pulled Hope by his arm, he let out a gasp of surprise and looked at her confused but didn't speak and she yanked him out before I had a chance to react. Letting my head hit the wall behind me I sighed heavily as I was abandoned by my friends with two strangers exchanging words in whispers and were staring at me, damn it I hate being stared at. I looked out the window trying to ignore their eyes until I saw Light at the open door, I looked at her and tried to act surprised to see her.

"Hey Elaine. What are you doing here?" I asked her standing to my feet with surprise in my voice and a smile on my face. Light looked at me, without recognition visable in her eyes, and smiled back warmly trying to fool those who see us.

"Going to Bohdum what else? Caught the earliest train could get when I arrived, college has been such a hassle but hey it keeps me outta trouble." She says with a care free voice yet her actions seemed mechanical.

"Thirsty?" She asks me and walks off and I follow suit.

"The military are on board." Lightning says, her tone returning to its seriousness. I walked by her trying to make it seem like I'm trying to keep her calm.

"They are searching every cabin with our faces on wanted posters, we need to get off now!" She says again trying to remain calm as possible. I shook my head and grabbed her by the wrist. She abruptly stops as I did and looked my way. Keeping my voice low to avoid more suspicion being drawn to us.

"How will we do that? We are on a moving train in the middle of nowhere with the skies below us. Should we try and blow a hole in the side of the wall where would that leave us for cover, for shelter? We wouldn't last long out here anyways without any wings if we aren't with Fang and I can't fly in this kind of harsh conditions either." Light looks around and looks pissed, her eyes become hard and pulls me by my shirt collar to follow her forcefully. When we were in a secluded car she locked the door behind her and plopped down on the chair in front of me, interlocking her fingers together to rest her chin on she looks perplexed by something.

"I informed the others of the military and they are trying to keep quiet, but where did Vanille and Hope go since you were left alone?"

"Vanille was annoyed with the evil looks she got from two other girls in our car. They kept eyeing me and Hope up but she was a third wheel or something. So she grabbed Hope and took him with her somewhere. Never mind them, what are we going to do about the army here? Out run them?" I asked trying to come up with some ideas. Lowering her gaze Light semi-sighed and semi-groaned obviously displeased by the events happening right now. Silence hung in the air and I still tried to rack my brain for ideas, in that moment I remembered I could control the minds of anyone or anything to my will, problem being the tendrils are visible and would be a big give away if civilians see. Mentioning this to Light her eyes seemed grim but they brightened.

"No we can use that power of your if we can get them to rush to a secluded area. We need to act this out right, your the actor here how should we play this?" She asks wanting to hear my thoughts. I gave it some thought and had an idea.

"The luggage cart is always empty right? But at least two or three people will pass through it because it is connected to other cars right? If we can lure them there with an emergency they all should come rushing especially if their commanding officer is the one to report an accident. How does the plan sound so far?" I asked hoping my plan is sufficient enough to be approved. Again silence until the 21 year old began to add more detail to the plot.

"Say your were hit on the head by a rogue bag and you fell unconscious, I rush out being hysterical looking for any officer near by and bring them there to where we can catch them off guard and you work your magic. Sounds like a fool proof plan but we have to make sure no one else comes to ruin our plan. It's a good plan, now let it be put into effect." With a nod she stands and goes to the door, I stood up but the door didn't sound like it would open. Light played with the door handle and it wouldn't budge.

"The hell? It's locked!" She cries out of surprise. Were we discovered? That was something I feared would occur... Great! As Fang would say," Lady Luck loves to screw people for fun with the shittiest luck she could conceive." Should she be here in our current position.

"Okay, new strategy." Light says as she sits down again but leans forward signaling me to do the same. Keeping her voice as low as possible in case someone was somehow listening in.

"We need to get out now. If we can create a distraction the soldiers must leave if they saw any L'cie causing havoc on something as public as this. Anyone bringing chaos that would harm the people. We will stick to our plan to meet the others and they can stay here with luxury, us on the other hand can't." My eyes felt like they widened to what she said, the way she said it was like it was me and her against the world literally but it is true though we have comrades to depend on.

"Wait abandon ship?! Your being too rash! Your saying that me and you alone will leave everyone else to fend for themslves?! You mad!? I'm not leaving anyone behind! We find a different plan that involves everyone in our group." I tell her trying to change her mind. Before she retaliated a flashing red light goes off in our car without an alarm, shit! Trouble maybe.

"That could be anything, besides idiots are on this train but we have more Intellengence than any other fugitives. Think this through!" I implored her to see reason but she ignored me and pulled her unit out and answered it.

"Shit! Light, its Hope and Vanille! Soldiers got them cornered in the game room. Apparently soldiers were giving our real names out and those two kids used their real names to communicate! We are going to get them out." I heard Fang say on the other side of the line. I felt forced to decide this but looks like me and Light are going Rambo on here.

"Tell her we will draw their attention away, tell them it was a misunderstanding and we can cause enough trouble they will come to us. Stay on the train and keep quiet, be safe and Etro watch you all in our stead." Light explains to her like it was a final goodbye.

"Wait Light!-" Fang was then silenced. I wasn't sure what to say or do but looks like its time for trouble then. Though I had to be absolutely positive she wants to go through with this.

"Mel, we need to create a distraction. I will catch the soldiers attention and you and Fang sneak Hope and Vanille away and if you must use your Potestatem or whatever power you can to make them forget, how does that sound so far?" She asks me with expectation in her eyes. I raised one eyebrow at her and replied almost in a smug tone.

"I still think your not thinking straight, besides..." I tell her with my head looking at the door. My fingers glides over the door handle and pushes something down creating a small click sound. My eyebrows were raised and I smirked at Light, her eyes were emotionless and she storms out the car quietly to the game room. I laughed inside and followed swiftly behind her.

* * *

"Beat it or I'll personally riddle you with bullets woman!" When we arrived we remained hidden in the crowd. Me and Light towered the other on lookers by a few inches or less to see Fang defending Hope and Vanille from what appears to be the commanding officer accompanied with two grunt soldiers cocking their weapons at the ready. Fang stood her ground most people would think she's insane going against PSICOM, they had no idea but our cover will be screwed if she attacks them.

"What do you mean they are under arrest their kids! You blind or plain stupid!? You'll have to get through me if you want them!" Fang threatens in return, her protective nature returns to her expression and eyes. The crowd gasps to her response. I sighed and I pushed my way through the group, since me and Fang had dark brown hair( I dyed my hair back to its natural color instead of it remaining light) I could pretend she's my half sister.

"Sanctums orders are to take in any L'cie dead or alive, anyone defending them will be shot down with a bullet to the head!" The commanding officer shouted, livid with Fangs defiance. When I got close I touched the officer by the shoulder and began to lead my act.

"There you are sis! Been looking all over for you!" I say worried, Fang saw a signal and played along.

"What are you doing here!? You're not supposed to be here!" Fang retorted. I shrug my shoulders.

"Sorry sir, my half sister... She is kinda loopy sometimes because of her prescriptions she takes before her heart surgery. Makes her lash out when she sees something she doesn't like, lost a lot of friends and family too, to soldiers so can we please not do anything rash?" I ask trying to concentrate, my right eye feels like its pushing out of my socket and feels puffy until I feel fire in it. The commander removes his shades from his mask and looks at me square in the eye. In a grave tone he asked,

"Don't do anything rash?" I nod.

"Please, I implore you stop with this irrational behavior, let them go and send everyone on their way. There is nothing to search for around here anyways." The guys eyes turn violet red and his eyes slack a little. Nodding like someone is pulling his strings he orders everyone to clear the room and to bring all on board forces back to their cabin. With relieved sighs we regrouped.

-xxx-

Bohdum, the ride there was less than peaceful but we made it without getting caught. No battles ensued, thankfully, and we made it to Lightnings house by nightfall. The house was very grand and looked marvelous in the dim setting light of the sun and from the street lights from the streets, entering the house code the door clicked and opened. A light illuminated the whole home brightening the atmosphere but we ain't done with today. As always Light and Fang went out to Bohdums town square to hear any information, Snow and Sahz went to any near by clubs while us kids stayed home, which was unfair for all of us. Hope and Vanille were quiet now and before we got off the train, calling a very close call with the FEDs today, while I walked to the outside patio with the ocean view. I listened to the waves gently crash against the pillars that upheld part of the home closest to the water and watched the moon reflecting in its body of vast open water. Being with the ocean made me remember of home, the smell of salt water and the soft crash against the sandy shores brought sweet and bitter sweet memories to me. I looked at my reflection under the pale moon and smiled, removing my jacket and phone and pouch and anything I wouldn't want wet I dived in allowing the salty waters to envelope me. It was cold but refreshing, thank The Lord they lived near the ocean I can feel at peace at last with something I am more familiar with than anything else in this world. Sure I was scared because of how I was brought up, all the adults told us kids to never swim at night because sharks swim near the shores at night but now I didn't care. I swam around the docks to land and felt the sand between my toes reeking of salt water, man this is the life I missed so much! I feel, finally, at home...

"Big bro! Get inside! Everyone came back." Hope called from the front door and I walked up the metal stairs dripping water everywhere I went wanting to jump in hot water right now that I'm soaked to the bone cold. But enough about me I dried up the best I could and went in the house.

"Cities are on high alert. Dysely reported being very hurt and went to the Capitol in critical condition. Heard we have a day or two to get to Eden to confront him and Eden is a day travel from here. We wait or act?" Fang reported to the group when I first came inside. When I came in everyone looked at me and I shrug my shoulders.

"Looking from a different perspective going now will be useless. If they hold a big race in honor of Raines becoming the new Primarch we will go there and stir up trouble. Huh, dem bugga's won't no wat wen hit em! Best to hit em in da eye when dey get too curious! Yea?" I say enthusiastically, oh shit! I sounded so moke right there... I sounded like I was forcing the pigeon from my mouth again...

"I mean they won't know what will hit them! Its best to hit them while curiosity overwhelms them right? Yeah?" I say trying to speak properly again. Everyone stared at me with looks I couldn't read so I looked at the ground.

"You miss your home don't you, Mel?" Someone asked. I nod sadly.

"I said what I said because I got too happy. With the ocean this close I jumped in and felt like I was home... I miss it so much, my old life I mean, but missing it won't get me there faster. Just wish the days would go by faster so we could confront Barthandalus and Orphan already instead of waiting!" Everyone let out their own way of saying yes but then I laughed bitterly.

"But then again if time went faster I wouldn't be here with you guys no more. If there was some way do you guys all think that maybe, maaybe, I could come back if I could? To visit?" I asked softly, I would love to go home and come back and maybe even show them my world too one day. Thinking that made me smile.

"Of course, this is your home too. Go take a shower, your getting salt water all over the carpet. It's upstairs, first hallway to your left and its the second door to your right." Light explains and I felt hope return to my heart. Thanks everyone.

"Thanks, see you guys in a bit." I said as I hurried up the stairs to the bathroom. When I turned the light on to see a big bathroom with expensive things and a pricy shower I closed the door, leaving it unlocked and leaned against the door. I reflected on Lights words and smiled,

'Home... And that's where I want to be and where I belong. The one that gave me life and this one here, I wouldn't want to trade this for the world..." When my mind wandered it wandered to Light. She smiles more, not that I have a problem with it and it seems like she is more open to me than with the others but trusts them and confines her thoughts with them as well. When Fang jokes around and makes wise ass jokes to me an her she reacts violently like Kanji from Persona 4 and Persona 4: Golden when Yosuke asked if he 'swings that way' at the school camping trip in the game and anime. And it's nice to see her smile but what's wrong with me? Like my heart is crushing me, I care about everyone equally but there is something about her now that makes me feel different, in a way I can't describe. What's going on now? I hope I'm not developing something, am I? I shook my head and just thought of home to get my mind off the subject, if I could go home would I be able to return? Hopefully the race is tomorrow so things can just be done and over with already.

* * *

I came out with basketball shorts and a fitted sports t shirt, they looked like the clothes I had on before getting struck by lightning in my world. So this is where they went! It was late and quiet in the home owned by Light and her sister, it looked very spacious and really expensively decorated. My room was on the third floor right across from Snow and next door to Fang and Vanile, it was a large room with a dresser and closet full of clothes with a big view of the ocean with double sided sliding doors to my left. The bed was big and the room was very cool yet I couldn't sleep, everyone left their doors open and saw they were all fast asleep with their elemental weapons in their clutches even in a high security home nobody felt safe. All except Soldier girl, she was nowhere to be found in any of the bedrooms. I didn't have to worry she can handle herself. Close to retiring to my room I heard something soft, it sounded like a sound from something but couldn't recognize the sound, I followed the sound through the home to the fourth floor where the sound became louder. The spiral staircase lead me to the fourth floor where Lightning and Serah stayed as their respective sleeping quarters, so Light had explained, and the sound sounded like a piano! The song was beautiful but it felt sad and lonely like the player was right now wherever she was. The song continued until I reached the last step, it was an astronomy tower equipped with the huge telescope and the golden dome was half agape letting in the starry night light in and near the telescope was a white ash oak piano and the pianist was none other than SOLDIER girl. She continued to play, if it didn't sound so sad it would have lifted all my troubles away with the corresponding notes molding in harmony to create the perfect melody. It reminded me of an acoustic version of Titanium by David Guetta and couldn't help but sing the lyrics:

"_You shout it loud, but I can't hear a you word say. I'm talking loud, not saying much. I'm criticized while all your bullets ricochet, you shoot me down but I get up... Im bulletproof nothing to lose, fire away fire away. Ricochet, take your aim, fire away fire away. You shoot me down but I won't fall I am Titanium. You shoot me down but I get up, fire away fire away." _I skipped most of the lyrics because I forgot the rest a little but sang what I remembered.

"_Stone hard, machine gun. Firing at the ones who run. Stone hard as bulletproof glass."_

_"_What are you doing up so late?" I stopped and gasped embarrassed and feeling like I'm in trouble. I turned around when I sat on the steps to see Light standing over me with a look that asked 'why are you up here this place is off limits or did you forget already?' Look or something like that. I got so into the song I didn't know the piano stopped playing. I couldn't make an excuse now and stood up to her with nothing to hide.

"I couldn't sleep and I checked everyone's room to see if anyone else was up but it was only me. I heard music before I went back to my room and followed it up here. I love music even though I can't play it myself, well I don't go to classes which are in downtown not the point, and when I saw you playing it reminded me of a song an acoustic version and I sat here and sang. Sorry for disrupting you." Light says nothing but looks as though she is looking through me to see if I'm not telling a lie, she walks back to the piano without a word. When she sat on the bench she asked,

"You want to learn how to play?" I heard her say that I was happy to learn and ran over to her and the piano. I took a seat next to her and she placed my hand on the ivory keys.

"Some basics: these keys have different pitches like voices they sound monotone alone but add another key to it its like a mini symphony." She explains pressing a few keys to make an upbeat sound. I smiled to the sound.

"You try." And I happily obliged. I copied her keys but hit an unwanted note it made the sound feel sour in my ears. I cringed at my mistake but it was dismissed. Light taught me how to play basic notes that could help me play advanced songs, without music sheets it was harder to know what the notes were called but like in English class and all the literature studies I aced in I remember mostly by sound not much sight memory but hearing it helps me remember. Time passed but it wasn't even close to eleven in the evening. I slowly got the hang of it but not enough to play on my own without fault. Soon we stopped playing the piano, which made me feel upset but happy I learned something, and sat there.

"The race is tomorrow isn't it?" I asked hoping it is tomorrow. Light nods.

"We can have our fun until they announce the start of the games late in the evening, its the weekend tomorrow and there are plenty of things to do before we can finally topple the government, save Cocoon and Gran Pulse and send you home." Light says it in a gloomy tone. I leaned over the piano keys to look at her and ask,

"A Gil for your thoughts?" She scoffs and replies,

"I doubt my thoughts are worth anything at the moment."

"Ah, such a spoilsport. Don't trust me anymore with your thoughts?" I say in a teasing manner it made Light look the other way, away from my gaze.

"No really, what's on your mind? I won't tell anyone, I promise!" I tell her crossing my heart telling her I won't spill her secrets or thoughts she would share with me. It was just quiet and a heavy sigh released from her lips succumbing to share her thoughts. It wasn't right away but she eventually relented and spoke.

"Lately I've been having these strange feelings and I don't know how to describe them. I don't know if they're good or a burden but they mostly involve you, at least that is what I concluded it too." My heart stopped then restarted again. So I'm not the only one with funny feelings then, I'm just as confused as her.

"It's like me and Fang, in battle we tear the field apart with my speed and agility combined with Fangs strength that complements our fighting styles respectively. But with you being my second in command strategist the feeling isn't mutual or in a way I can't explain or express which bothers me. I can't think clearly and I feel like I have to keep you safe when your in a pinch, I mean honestly your still a little vulnerable on the battle grounds your the only one who gets out hurt after everything is done. Not the point I was trying to make though..." The she stopped talking almost hesitant to continue. I got curious but a little afraid to hear what else she would say, was she like me? With emotions building up inside her she can't explain it or know what it is, what it means? I got up and walked indolently to the staircase.

"Thanks for the Piano lessons Light, I appreciated it. Really. See you when the suns up." She made no reply so I continued. The second I had my hand on the railing I felt something press against my back and arms were around me. I felt my face burn and I didn't know what to do or react, what the hell is going on!?

"Your confused too huh? That makes two of us... I don't know why but these feelings keep pestering me and, as confused as I am as you right now, this is what it made me feel. It's strange and overwhelmingly confusing but I had to find a way to express the feeling in me, sorry for the awkwardness too." She says from behind.

My mouth became dry, my heart hurt while it raced, the hell is going on!? I can't talk but I have so much to say.

"I like ya kiddo. If that is what the feeling is... But sometimes I hope it stops while other times I hope it continues."

"Whishy washy ain't ya, Light? Yeah this feelings been bugging me too but I'm Not sure what it is nor what it means..." I began looking for the right words to say.

" I like ya too like a sister but this feeling won't let it be like that will it?" I ask and I felt something move side to side in my back.

"Until we can sort this out lets just pretend this didn't happen. And we can't let the others find out either, especially Fang. Deal?" I asked hoping this can be sorted out.

"Deal.." Light says softly. She lets go and walks down the staircase before me and I followed. She went to her room down the hall away from me and I went to mine by the spiral stairs. When I retired to the bed and laid my head on the pillow I stayed up thinking until I couldn't stay awake anymore. The last thought I had before I fell asleep was,

'Am I developing something crazy for good? For soldier girl?'

* * *

A/N: yay I'm done! Sorry haven't uploaded I've been busy. Hope this was a good chapter next one will be the start of the devastation on Cocoon to reach Orphans cradle. Plus, will Light and Mel figure out what is going on between the two? Will they confess or remain stagnant? Who knows what the sword wielding duo will face in the next few hours that will decide their and their friends fates. So as always please review, comment, question, etc. if your confused about something PM me or leave it on the review box, if there is anything you want me to add or if you guys could help me with the next chapter, been sick with writers block! D: it'd be a great help! So, yeah. Well that's it, until next time, Ciao!


	30. Storming the Castle gates

A/N: and here it is everybody! The race that began to restart the parties wheel of fate, Raines is watching and so is the entire population in the nest of Vipers, time for things to heat up! Lets go and Storm the Castle! (:) What awaits the L'cie this time around? Enjoy!

* * *

Omni POV:

The crowds began to pile up within Eden ready to witness the race in recognition of Cid Raines becoming the new Voice of Cocoon. He watched everything from his quarters nearby looking over the sea of people feeling nonchalant yet melancholy seeing how so many how their freedom whilst his was stripped from him and so was his humanity even though he reverted back to his human nature. Softly he whispered to himself so the guards wouldn't hear him.

"Come, puppets. Come and free us all from this disastrous fate we were forced to walk, a fate decided for us by the malevolent AI's that were abandoned just as we were by our Maker."

Far away in a ship resembling Mnerva, long had the sun last set, approached at moderate speed but nowhere near airspace. The people cheered and hollered excited and ready to mob people if their bets were rigged. Cid Raines stepped up to the microphone, everyone's attention on him while the racers took a good lap around the course and back to the starting line making his grand appearance on the big screen to lower paranoia and to act as the shield for his people.

"Citizens of Cocoon. My fellow citizens. We have survived the twilight, and now gather to welcome the New dawn to which we decide our fate. Many are the lessons we have learned during our long night of hardships and sacrifice. And now we face choices, which must be made as our hearts dictate, and not abandon by uncaring chance. Let us forge ahead with unflinching courage. And honor the fallen with action. With these hands we shape the future."

The racers stared intently ready to begin zooming through the course and win, beating all else. Cid snaps his fingers and the Wheel of Fate began to continue its course from the long hibernation it had been cast into. As the racers began to take action, coursing their way through the field when the leader spotted something in the air it was a grand white airship and what came out of it were people with large mechanical beings summoned out of nowhere.

"Odin!" Lightning cried and the knight fell beside his caller, Snow had Shiva with him, Hope had Alexander, Fang with Bahamut, Sahz called Brythilder and Vanille had Hectonocheir while Mel merely fell alone but beside her companions. As always Snow played Hero when the ship nearly killed a racer as his car spun outta control, answering his call the Shiva Twins caught the rider and vehicle by the sides and Snow stood on it. The blond man balanced himself on the vehicle and raised his arms in the air, telling to crowds to cheer for what they did.

"Close call. The Hero saves the day!" And the cheers became deafening roars. The camera was on Snow while he waved in appreciation and he raised his brand arm the camera focused on it revealing his brand and everyone screamed in terror running for the exits.

"Oops... Probably should have covered that." Was all he managed to say when he caught a glimpse at the screen. He looks ahead and jumps off the car turning Shiva into Gesalt mode and rode the motorcycle on the track going the other way than the racers. Velocycles from Sanctum soldiers came and the speakers blared,

"Intruders on the racing circuit! Confirmed Pulse L'cie. All units respond with lethal force!"

"Catch me if you can!" Snow taunted and accelerated through the course, bullets missing their escaping and taunting enemy. Awaiting his chance as Snow zipped by in a flash, with Sanctum soldiers flying by with him, Hope jumped from above and landed with ease to the platform below him. He looked up, no longer afraid, to see eye to eye with an Orion and says, "Hi there.", casually. Bringing an arm back to strike the Orion is crushed under the weight of Alexander who, too, fell from the skies. Removing his arms from shielding his eyes to see what had happen Hope then commanded his Eidolon to hold the enemy back by raising his arms sidewards catching any unfortunate driver to ride into it. "Cut them off" was the Eidolons command. As driver crashes over the course and over the finish line with Snow jokingly saying 'We have a winner' and forges on ahead.

Lightning rode upon the back of Odin and said to it, "Now." In a soft tone. The Stallion switches to its upright self with his master that when he became the white Knight once more he threw Light with great precision toward the enemy, firing bullets at oncoming enemies and landing on one. Bullets miss her by a forearm length so she leaps toward another car with her gunblade piercing the front of the car, her feet planted against the car. A soldier sees her and pulls out his weapon,

"You're dead!" He cried, Lightning grabs the man by his uniform and pulls him out onto the track forcefully saying, " You first!" After hearing the man screamed in fear Light used her weight and blade to swing the vehicle around the other way as she rides upon it, blade drawn out. Beside her came Fang and Bahamut in Gesalt mode gliding over the track, Fang said nothing but merely laughed heartily to have witnessed and heard something funny from her once stoic and cold friend then she flew off ahead. Climbing aboard another car she enters and kicks the driver out avoiding bullets while shooting back in retaliation from a Velocycle beside the car Light had just stole. With the car she hits another by her and it hits a track circle, continuing to drive she presses onward.

Vanille had been protected by the arms and shields of Hectonochier that held his master accordingly. Soldiers fired bullets nonstop with the red head crying for them to stop. Not even listening to her plea they continue. Hectonocheir hits something and it flys in the air, her Eidolon has cables attached to something else and a soldier has a loaded RPG blaster aimed for her.

"Uh oh!" She cries at the sight of it. "Take this!" The soldier cried and fires hitting both the summoner and summoned being, the explosion causes them to fall backwards over the edge of the track while pulling an airship with them. Sahz cries out to the Oerbian Healer and catches her while Brythilder caught Hectonochier when they changed to their human states and reverted to their Gesalt mode with friends alongside them. Lightning calls Odin and they attack enemies flying toward them through the wreckage of so many ships. After making it through the wreckage they run through the course and in the sky Phoenix becomes day and everyone looks up to it brightening the darkness. When Odin neighed to a halt a war mech appeared and it was a fight.

* * *

Battle sequence begin:

Lightning and Odin were confronted by an Anavatapta War mech similar to its Predecessors, ex: the very first enemy Sahz and Light fought in Hanging Edge. Out of the blue came the Interloper who landed in between her companion and the Mech, wings of white and black sprouted from her back, as she eyed the enemy.

"You think you going to have all the fun to yourself now, Light?" The interloper asks the soldier without even trying to break eye contact with the mech. Light scoffed but held a small grin.

"What do you want me to do then? Sit back and watch?" The Sargent asks as if she's forgetting they are on a battle ground but is completely focused. Mel brings her buster blade from between her wings and reverts to normal, getting into her fighting stance similar to Zack Fair from "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy" and Cloud Strife from "Final Fantasy 7."

"You join the others, they ran on ahead toward that marker on your map. Let me beat this thing, I'll show you that I will not come out of this fight with nothing and that means not even a scratch." The interloper says confidently and attacks.

The mechs weakness is thunder so Mel casted enthunder on her weapon and leaps into the air. The Mech follows its enemies movements and raises a triple saw bladed claw and launches it in the air. Mel sees it coming and dodges mid air bringing her blade down on the cable and severing it clean off. The mech fires multiple RPGs at the teens way, thinking of what to do Mel emulated Light in a similar fashion to how she made her way alongside Odin through the wreckage of the enemy airships. Swinging her body and blade simultaneously Mel maneuvered her way through the RPGs gracefully descending closer to her target. In slashing range the mecha drives backwards and Mel lands softly on her feet with her blade smashing into the glass ground causing the very tough material to shatter creating a fissure from the blade toward the Mech. The glass shatters starting as a small wave until it enlarges until it was twice the size of the mecha itself and when the glass shatters that reached the end of the platform it became a huge explosion. The debris and smoke casts a fog over the area which blinds both sides of the fight, the mecha has no ears nor eyes but scanners, the scanners cannot see through the dense fog and remains idle in spot.

Creeping through fog listening, honing in on the enemies exact location, the Mech moves an inch and its other 'hand' gets sliced off. It fires projectiles in the direction it got hit to only strike air and accidentally an ally outside of the fog. Having the location of her target Mel sprints through the fog from behind and slices it in two halfway, electricity is found sparking from cut wires and burst into flames and blown to bits.

"Aeroga!" Mel cried and cleared the fog the second the Mecha was defeated and smiles in satisfaction. Dusting her hands together and sheathing her weapon the interloper runs through the broken platforms by the beams to catch up with the rest of the group.

When she reunited with them the first person she spoke with was Light.

"Told ya I'd get out Scott free."

Light turns around and points at her face half smiling and half disappointed.

"Actually, you lost the bet. When we are not in the battle zone you better pay up!" She says and hands everyone a 'Anti-Gravity Unit' and takes a leap of faith over the edge of the racing platforms. Fang walks beside Mel and asks casually curious to her what the hell they were talking about,

"I made a bet with Light telling her that I would beat the War Mech without getting hurt, like I won't even get a scratch, but pointing out I have one scratch I lost the bet." Explaining thoroughly while trying to make the explanation short and simple. Fang smirks but doesn't say a word to her only to Vanille, frightened to jump over the ledge, who was also reluctant to follow even Fang when reminded not to lose the Grav. Comm. Not being given one Mel leaps before Vanille and then hears the girl above her screaming at the top of her lungs in fear. The wind whistling sharply past them as always when the party would jump off of something extremely high, they were used to it except the feeling you would die right then and there made it harder for, especially Vanille, most to keep their heads on straight. Activating the units, or wings, the party landed gently on the ground miles below them without getting hurt except the red head who switched the unit on a little late and fell a little roughly on her butt.

"You okay?" Hope asked helping her up to her feet. Groaning a little but feeling alright Vanille nods to Hope and they regroup with the adults and interloper. Just as the group survived their descent the military opened fired with their semi-automatic and automatic artillery hoping to injure or kill the L'cie though their efforts were proven fruitless when their bullets ricochet off of the road barriers that were coincidentally placed where they were placed to protect the party.

"How we gonna get outta this one? Hopefully we can get out of here without confronting the grunts." Mel asks the group as if they would let the military come and kill them when they must advance their efforts to Eden.

"You expect us to let them live!? Open your eyes, Kid, they won't let us live either. Unless you got a reason then we'll think about it." Fang retorts with a deep scoff and sarcasm dripping from her voice. Mel let her eyes droop, her brown orbs glared from beneath her half way closed eyelids, pulled something from her pouch and began to mess with it.

"The hell are you doing now at a time like this!?" The Huntress demanded. After she finished typing Mel revealed the object to Fang, which was a hand held device from her world with information from her home world, showing a video of the party confronting a very powerful Behemoth on the highway and Yaag Rosch soon after. Questions formed on her face as did everyone else's when they gathered round. Soon after their departure from Lightnings home Mel felt her pocket grow heavy and the device suddenly appeared there as if it was meant to or just a bloody pain to annoy the military when they either lose their targets or can't find them at all thanks to it, though they don't know how they've been outsmarted.

"It would be better if we didn't have to waste our strength with the grunt soldiers, we find another way to avoid them so we can have more of a chance to beat that Behemoth and Rosch." Mel explains her thoughts. the party, mostly Fang, smiled yet disagreed.

"Who do you think we are? We aren't the same L'cie who got our ass kicked to the curb when we were overwhelmed before. Let us handle it and then we think strategy." Snow says for the group. Mel looks at them and hangs her head a little, eyes closed, with a small smile on her face.

"Oh, right. I forgot. My bad, next time I won't. Okay so what do you think we should do? Just so you know their weakness is fire so, just pointing that out for ya." When 'fire' was said everyone turned to Sahz and he looked at everyone in turn.

"What?" He manages to say. Vanille went up to him and patted his arm with her hand playfully with her cheery smile.

"Your the fire master Sahz. Your the best person out of all of us who fits the job description." She tells him.

'Why does she make it seem like I'm applying for a job?' He thinks to himself before making his decision with a sigh.

"Guess its up to the old man to take care of things then." He sighed again and pulled his dual pistols out. Back pressed against the blockage he takes a deep breath and enters the fray.

* * *

Battle sequence activated:

Soldiers were anxious and started to advance on the L'cie while continuing to fire to draw them out. One came out, an older male, with dual pistols in hand and started to shoot bullets laced with fire hitting anyone in a Sanctum uniform riddling them with burned bullet holes lying on the ground catching fire.( hunger game book 2 title :D) Soldiers fell before him and more took the fallen members place for reinforcements and to pull the wounded out. They became overconfident in their numbers and advanced forcing the man to fall back with a bullet wound in his healed, yet injured again, shoulder. They were on him relentlessly until they saw a flash of fiery light and came a giant mechanical warrior on fire the entire area felt very hot but to the man he wasn't even sweating like they were from the heat.

"Brythilder... Take them out." The man says cooly and the mechanical warrior obeys. Swinging a weapon similar to a scythe at the army they were sweeper away from the field with large gashes oozing blood splattering across the ground and across the helms of other soldiers. Most retreated and tried to fire back at the same time thinking they could injure the Eidolon to find to their despair they didn't even dent its armor for the flames had melted the bullets to burning copper and dropped to the ground around it dripping like oil falling from a greased piece of metal.

"FALL BACK!" Cried the officers in command taking every armed force out and off of the battle grounds, their subordinates did what they were told and retreated. Knowing they were outmatched they ran away to live another day more.

Brythilder looked to his maters who nodded to it, pleased with the service he provided.

"Thank you, you can go home now." Sahz tells his Eidolon who nod back to the older man and returns to crystal in a blaze of fire. Sahz let out a deep and tired sigh he dropped his hands to his knees and leaned on them for support. 'Sure ain't getting any younger from all of this.' He thought to himself as he tried to catch his breath. By the time he stood upright, breathing stabled the party was already far ahead of him. He grunted in frustration and ran to keep up with the youngsters of the group.

-xxx-

Just as they reached the highway cars sped down their lanes in deep hurry. To reach the other side everyone would need to be quick on their feet and very agile. The only one who could do this and survive would be soldier girl. Since Fang rubbed off on her with the jokes Mel placed a hand on Lights shoulder, who turns to see who's hand this was, and says loud enough to reach her ears over the sound of speeding vehicles.

"This is a really serious, realistic, game of 'Frogger'! You get hit by those cars you won't get another chance to weave your way through. But I'm positive you won't need another chance, you got this SOLDIER girl!" The interloper shouts optimistically with a grin on her face. Light doesn't move in that moment they break eye contact and nods with her gunblade drawn and she leaps into the freeway. Snow, Sahz and Hope all panic and try to get within the lanes only to be pulled back by Fang and Vanille back to their safe spot to prevent any road kill from painting the pavement. Lightning weaves and bobs her way through the speeding vehicles and leaps over them and onto them to have a better chance of getting through, up ahead cars are flipping through the air and crashing into other cars she spotted a red Behemoth charging on all fours through the cars like nothing. Light leaps off of the car she was on and swings her weapon at the Behemoth, they were locked in a stale mate for a second and the Behemoth knocked Lightning backwards a meter or so away. Her gun blade is dug into the metal road and catches herself from skidding across the way, the roads cleared the rest of her companions sprint to her aid and they all stand ready for a fight.

* * *

Battle sequence activated:

Just as the battle started the Proto-Behemoth stood on its hind legs though no damage had been done to it. The party looked up at it as it towered over the party more than its previous selves they encountered before, they then looked to Mel waiting for her to say something but she couldn't remember anything about this one. Fang ran up to it first and called Lightning to her aid, as her battle partner she obeyed. They were going with the 'Defensive mix of damage' plan with this thing, Snow and Sahz became Syntergists while Hope and Vanille became Saboteurs while Mel became a Ravager giving Light and Fang more time to figure out this things weakness. With a series of defensive spells, Haste and protect and shell, etcetera, and debuffing magic the Behemoth became inflicted to the spells Deprotect, Slowga, and Imperil. Bellowing in frustration the Behemoth had swung the saw blade it held with devastating strength that Fang was sent back into piled cars even in her Steelguard mode. Lightning attacked with Sparkstrike and Aquastrike causing damage to its coarse armor skin, everyone else began attacking with the same spells but it refused to go down. Fang rejoined the party and attacked as a Commando, attacking straight on with Malice and sending Ruin spells at it. Deflecting most of the damage it sent a huge Ruinga spell and it exploded with great force that it managed to injure the party even though they were out of blast range. The slow spell wore off quicker and it started to attack relentlessly with swift and powerful strikes the party couldn't retaliate in time without trying to lose something important and vital. From the debris shroud Mel charged with her Buster Blade and swung it at the Behemoth, it saw its opponent and deflected the attack by countering it and delivering a kick to her torso she was sent flying backwards through the debris and smoke. It began to cast more Ruinga spells until it heard something whistle, looking for the source a large but shallow cut ran across its bulking chest. Small bits of blood fell out of the cut and it looked skywards. Mel had Light by the arm and Fang perched on her back using her blade to support her foot placement than the kids back, glaring at the three it roared and threw its weapon swiftly.

"Dive bomb!" Light commanded and the Interloper obeyed. Avoiding the blast the trio took cover in the smoke, unsure of where to attack it just sent spells in every direction. Nothing came and it turned to leave but suddenly the Behemoth was given a hard kick to the head from the Huntress and SOLDIER, it swung its arm to hit air and Mel charged through the air and stabs her blade into the beasts chest. Thrashing around to shake the blade and enemy off to no avail Mel looked behind her to see her companions, beaten but alive, standing there watching and ready to cast their strongest thunder spell. Mel releases one arm, her scarred one, and shouts,

"Aim for my arm, it will act as a conductor and will flow through me and into the blade!" Hesitant they didn't do so until the Behemoth struck again and thrashed much more making it harder to keep a steady shot. Without much choice and with their friend in the way they all fired their spells and it all crashed dangerously loud with its combined destructive force. Mel didn't come out in time to avoid the blast. Before anyone spoke lightning crackled and flashed blue from where their spells hit to see the interloper was alright though had burn marks here an there with her arm flashing blue with natures unpredictable force and the Behemoth lying on the ground. Trying to get out of the girls feral gaze by thrashing with little effort Mel said to it calmly and coldly,

"Big mistake." And forces the energy from her arm to surge through her weapon and into the Behemoths entire system inside and outside until smoke emerged out of it once more. When everything died down Me, pulled her weapon from the beasts chest and stumbled out of the smoke coughing toward the group. Soot covered part of her face and clothes and her sleeves exploded off revealing her lean muscled arms, since the beginning she was weak and up til now her body and mind was sculpted into the body of a warrior yet no curves showed so people would still mistaken her for a boy later in life. A smile broke out and she shrugged her shoulder,

"What? That was one hell of a fight right? But you guys got to admit the fireworks was worth seeing yeah?" She says happily. The party was silent until Hope let out a chuckle and Vanille joined in with him laughing together. Nobody caught the joke they laughed to but they laughed with them anyway, sharing a strange but good moment let all the stress melt away. For a moment. Lightning went up to Mel with her hand outstretched, the Interloper looks at it and remembers about their bet. She smirks sarcastically and pulls several hundred or so Gil from her 'wallet' and handed it to Light who accepts it though it wasn't what she had in mind but didn't forget the promise she and Mel made the night before, 'until they can sort things out they could get rid of their confusion later making sure the others don't find out about their feelings and confusion all together.' The medics came and healed everyone with Curaga and Curaja replenishing their own energy with potions. Fang and Snow went with Vanille while Hope took care of Light and Sahz, Mel waited patiently since she learned from the duo in healing but didn't know how to heal the others she only managed to take care of herself. Half an hour to an hour passed everyone was ready to hit the road, they continued to walk and when a large wall appeared before them they leapt over it and saw and opening for ships with something lying dormant in front of the hatch. Looking over its design it looked familiar and then it hit her, it was Rosch. To confirm it was the commander they confronted in Palumpolum and escaped from the Palamecia the scorpion like ship resembling the Ushumgal Subjugator, only much darker with tips of gold, spoke from it.

"Greetings mere L'cie. I have had a feeling you would have make it to me." Rosch said venomously calm through the speaker. Snow spoke out to him asking what he wanted.

"I want to protect the people of Cocoon and ensure their safety is upheld. You all have been a troublesome bunch, creating havoc and mindless destruction causes the people to run in fear more so now the threats from Pulse are invading the land." He began. It took Vanille to hold Fang back from the insult she could hear in his voice.

"We all share a similar goal! We came here to save Cocoon, we couldn't transport the beasts from the lower worlds even if we knew how! Let us go on our way so we can beat the real threat lurking on Cocoon!" Snow tried to convince Rosch but he wasn't swayed by his words.

"And if you do save the people from this claimed threat once wind has been given to the them they have been saved by Pulse L'cie they will begin an uproar against the Sanctum and it will be brother against brother, blood being spilt and people being blamed for not fulfilling their roles the people have been led to believe for many years, since the beginning of Cocoon's creation!" Rosch retaliates with anger hinting in his voice. Stuck in his own resolve and blinded by his orders he wouldn't let them through.

"I know you mean well but I can't let you go. You and your party shall die here, prepare yourselves, L'cie and face the Maker with honor and dignity!"

Like he said without a fight he won't let them pass, reluctantly the group has their weapons in hand at the ready and stood prepared for another fight.

* * *

A/N: Cliff hanger! Sorry, just doing it so I can have more time thinking of how the battle with Rosch would go for the next chapter and will see how to take it from there. So yeah! Well they know they don't have a choice but fight him away. Anyway hope this was an alright chapter to start the L'cie journey through Cocoon, please leave a review, comment, question, critisicm, the usual and thank you all for the support you all showed to this Fanfic of mine it wouldn't have continued without you guys so yeah thank you! So until next time, Ciao!


	31. Through the courtyard to Eden

A/N: This is the next stone leading up to the finale, before the party can reach Orphan's Cradle they must defeat the Knight guarding the path leading to their goal, the King leading the worlds destruction. With things gone to hell how will things play out for the L'cie? It will be a battle of strategy and will power with Yaag Rosch hell bent on stopping them for 'the sake of the people.' Let us continue the journey through the nest of Vipers. Enjoy!

* * *

Battle Sequence Engaged:

Rosch made the first move and fired thin lasers, smaller than a Sparrows egg, toward the party in a flash. Seeing the mechanical wings turn to guns the L'cie dive out of the way and quickly scrambled to their feet and came out with a few scratches from the nearly invisible projectiles. The Saboteurs started to cast their strongest debuff spells to weaken the Mechs strength and defense but were surprised beyond belief that something from Cocoon was invulnerable to their spells. It wasn't like previous mechs and it wasn't anything from Gran Pulse, it was just a man in a robotic armor hell bent on killing the threat before him instead of protecting the civilians from the prowling hostiles that emerged from Gran Pulse slaughtering everything they see.

Retaliating Fang launched Snow from the end of her lance toward Rosch, the General of the Sanctum sees the blond man and fires multiple bullets his way, turning into his Sentinel role Snow activated Steelguard to protect him from harm for now. The bullets zipped past him quickly and bounced off his spell casted armor, like bullets bouncing off a metal wall. When he got in close enough range Snow pulled his right fist back and slammed it down onto the mechs head using his strongest attack Sovereign Fist. The mech crashes into the ground with a thundering thud the street used as a battle field was nearly obliterated, a few sparks came out of the machine saying it took a heavy blow. Returning to the party Snow stood ready and smirked, Rosch recovered and saw the cocky smile flash and growled. Getting back up Rosch charged with the Proudclad at high speed, the party all managed to dodge but as they moved out of the way Rosch used his Retaliatory strike on them but it seemed different than from the games model of the attack. Mel studied this attack closely as she was trained by everyone during their training to be the 'Observer', a role they made up, with her eyes trained to keep up with the speed of thunder or even lightning itself the attack was charging with sparks of blue and red electricity bouncing from the robot creating more and more with every passing minute. Watching closer the Attack began to grow like an energy field and exploded.

The attack became an energy wave more powerful than an atomic bomb mixed with an unstable isotope inside a radioactive chemical whatever it touched would return to oblivion. Thankfully Snow and Fang managed to protect their comrades with a very powerful and well tuned, and well equipped, Steelguard spell they only received a few shallow burns but Mel was too far away to be shielded she brought her buster blade in front of her, kneeled, and used it to protect her. The attack became stronger her blade began to crack, her eyes widened to see more cracks forming on her blade she focused her eyes on the others and she nodded her head to them. Everyone saw her and all nodded in return. Happy to know she got the message along Mel looked ahead of her and allowed her sword to break in half with the sharpenals from the blade to puncture through her body and fly backwards being engulfed by nuclear orangy green flames. The attack died down and the Expressway was ruined beyond repair, beyond recognition, when he scanned the area only the party minus one remained. Smirking behind a metal mask he spoke out to them concealing a maniacal grin,

"A shame the Interloper had to give their life up for you pathetic fools! Without the one who claimed to have knew all this fight will end. Sooner than anything in this world, and when I finish you Pulse slaves then these monstrosities invading our precious Utopia shall cease their bloodshed and die with their masters!" The party remained quiet and had enough of this, they were merely holding back not wanting to kill Rosch just yet but his foul mouth was getting to them and they were waiting for their plan to Set in motion.

"Phase one completed now we wait for the signal..." Lightning murmured under her breath as she scanned the surroundings ahead of her. Looking for anything the party saw a gleam from a mirror from afar that shined blue and focused their attention to Rosch. Fang spoke through her eager smile and asked,

"We ready yet Pinky? I really want to show this punk a thing or two right now!" Lightning shook her head and raised her hand to the Huntress signaling her to lay back a while longer. Pretending to admit defeat Light dropped her Gunblade to the wrecked street and raised her hands to her head. Looking once more the gleam then turned green giving the okay signal. Not surprised but this act of their 'Leader' everyone else did the same, discarded their own weapons and raised their hands to their heads. Shocked and laughed to himself Rosch's smirk grew wider and he furrowed his brow.

"Giving up because you lost your little friend?! Pathetic! From everything I had witnessed you all doing you finally lost the will to fight!? I applaud you all for your spirit but it is time for me to rid of anything from Pulse once and for all!" Charging up to use his plasma blasters at full power he pulls the trigger and hits the ground at the L'cie enveloping them in smoke and debris. When the smoke cleared a minute or so later the ground where the party stood was more broken and unrepairable with nothing save for the discarded weapons that now lay broken but where was the party?

"Phase two of Storm the Castle commence!" Cried a union of voices. Surprised Rosch turn his Mech around to get attacked with a flurry of powerful ice spells from Snows Sovereign fist that sent ice digging into the metal after one hit to many stalagmites, trying to recover from the hit Fang came and brought her Lance onto the Proudclad's mechanical head with her Highwind attack and sent him into the ground doing serious damage, with a side attack Fangs lance added some 'weight' onto the Mecha to make it less mobile than at its usual quick pace. Struggling to get back to its feet Rosch looks up through the Proudclads eyes and sees Hope, Vanille and Sahz sending mixed spells of fire, wind, water, thunder and ice his way and a strong current came from behind and sucked him into a powerful twister after taking much more damage his systems were nearly fried and almost couldn't control the Mech. Dropping to the ground at high velocity Rosch fell with a very heavy thud the remains of the ground didn't exactly cushion his fall. Blood covered almost half of his face and he struggled more to get back up, weakly he recovered but he and the Proudclad were in such difficult shape it would be harder to fight the L'cie.

'I underestimated them, that had been my fatal mistake. Should the Soldier woman attack I will be finished, I must fall back now!' He thought to himself as he made his attempt to escape, looking skywards Rosch beat his mechanical wings and flew off appearing as an injured bird with a broken wing and limp leg. Regrouping the party saw the conditions of their first weapons and pulled out the weapons Light, Fang and Mel, well mostly Light and Fang, found back on Pulse. Healing whatever injuries they had everyone turned to Mel with only her last twin single blade, her Buster Blade and finally broke from the 'wear tear and rust' of being used. Everyone turned to her who stood almost equal height to the Huntress, just an inch less, and gave her indifferent looks.

"We just had had to let him go? Why? We have to fight him again later?" Sahz asked as he was answered with a nod.

"If we kill him now then no one will be able to call an evacuation for the civilians, trust me he will see the errors of his ways. Lets go down that elevator and... Wait.." Mel cut her sentence off and groaned, her expression dropped, and face palmed herself.

"Oh this is just great! The elevator over there was supposed to take us down but now its destroyed no thanks to Rochefort!" She exclaimed. Everyone looked puzzled and Hope asked confused,

"Whose Rochefort? Don't you mean Rosch?" Mel's eyes widened in embarrassment her fave was a tad pink. Dismissing her mistake she shook her head.

"Yeah I meant Rosch. Rochefort is the last name of this girl character I play as in a different game. But anyway not the point, Fang mind calling Bahamut again? I feel like we are abusing him since he is the only Eidolon that can fly and carry all of us on top his back." She says breathlessly. Fang obliged and called her Eidolon. Already in his Gesalt mode everyone hopped on his back and he took flight downwards.

"So why did you let yourself get caught in Rosch's attack Mel? I noticed, finally, that you get hurt way too much but now you come back unscathed, so why'd ya do it?" Snow asked shouting over the wind.

"I did it to show Rosch that you guys aren't ones to mess with, besides I wasn't really part of the fight plus he doesn't need me to kick his ass when there are six badass fighters right here in front of me, no?" She explained to Snow trying to shout over the wind.

"Still that was very stupid and you could have died Mel, don't try anything so foolhardy again. Got it!?" Light shouted to her. Mel smiled and nodded her head,

"Says the most foolhardy person here! But don't worry I won't do it again unless I got to. I promise okay, sis?" Light turned her head nodded. Similar to the sibling relationship with her real sister Serah and a non related one with Hope Light found it in her heart that she shares a similar relation with Mel but a more boyish sister than Serah herself. So did Mel, she wasn't her sister Claire but they shared so many traits besides their name and she even missed Claire she will fight until she is reunited with her. Looking ahead the party saw a lot of Soldiers trying to fight an Adamanchild to no avail.

"There! That's our destination. Land there in front of the Adamanchild, we beat it and we can take the street towards the park." Mel cried.

"Through Leviathan park right?" Vanille questions clutching to Fang to keep her from blowing away. Mel nodded. She looked at Snow and he grinned, then turned to Vanille and she smiled childishly.

"Okay, Fang launch me down!" Snow cried standing to his feet. The Huntress stood up and Vanille shimmied to Snow and jumped on his back. Ready Snow jumped a few inches off Bahamut and was launched off from the Huntress's Lance. Flying toward the beast at high speed Vanille added more speed casting a very powerful Aeroga spell, Snow readied his Sovereign fist with his gloves made of icy material and waited to hit his target. Seconds closer and the gates finally closed Snow saw a lone Soldier back against the raised wall, he bellowed and caught both the Soldier and Adamanchilds attention making them look skywards. Just as the beast looked up Snows attack connected to its jaw creating a heavy 'thwack!' from impact. The two L'cie managed to bring it to its side forcing it to go limp, feeling sympathy Vanille ushered a few soothing words as blood pooled from its snout and mouth she patted its head and hugged it until it calmed down she used her 'Death' spell and ended its suffering. The rest had made it to the ground and Bahamut returned to its crystal form yet again. The lone soldier looked on in awe and fear, he knew who they were and was scared beyond belief that they may kill him being Pulse slaves and all. Everyone looked at him with sympathetic gazes but walked away long before he had the chance to run away from them.

* * *

After a long hour or so fight with some PSICOM Hunters, Huntress's, some fish like creatures and beating a Tyrant alongside something similar to a Aster Protoflorian A large door was standing between them and reaching Eden. Snow walked up to it and placed his hand on the white door near the red light, he grunted as he tried to push against and then finds his fist slamming into it. In anger he said two words.

"So close." Light looked around and told him they will find another way in. Snow cries in fury there isn't time to find another way. Soon the door begins to rise open to the sound of something like engines, they all covered their ears and watched the door. Fang, Snow and Light alongside Mel stood ready to fight, waiting for the door to finally raise they were greeted with a few strange models of a Velocycle and on them were team NORA, Villier's gang.

"Gate got ya beat, Hero?" Gadot said to Snow who lets out a gasp of surprise. When the sun wasn't shining over them everyone got a better look at Gadot, Lebreau, Yuj and Maqui.

"Pretty lame." Lebreau says after the spiky red head in front of her pulling up forward. Waving in excitement Maqui cried out, "Heya Snow, where have you been?" With a smile. He then greeted them in return giving them space to land their ride.

"So Snow, you're a Pulse L'cie now, huh?" Yuj said sounding depressed. Losing his grin he reluctantly revealed his brand to them.

"Well why didn't you tell us? Why the hell didn't you come and find us?" The blue haired man demanded. Everyone looked in shock, save for the Interloper, and they continued.

"Yeah, we've been waiting." Lebreau added. Maqui ran up and said his bit,

"Us and the rest of the Purge fugitives." This was good news to the party that there were some survivors from the Purge and brought sighs of relief to their faces.

"But damn, those Pulse Fal'cie sure know how to pick 'em." Gadot added with a little sarcasm. Lightning intervenes to merely say,

"Yeah, out of all the idiots in the world, they choose this one." Everyone actually laughs and this was the first time the stoic soldier told anything remotely amusing, still Snow tried to make a comeback but couldn't all he could do was try and order the four around trying his best to remind them he was still their leader no matter the circumstance but they still laughed. Soon after the laughter died down a strange sound was made behind the L'cie party and the NORA group the fun was instantly forgotten.

"Just like old times, huh, boss?" Gadot asked with both hands on his waist.

"Don't worry." Lebreau said to catch Snows attention.

"We'll take care of the civilians." The blond boy then came up beside the dark haired woman and told him, as well as targeting his words to the rest, to worry about saving Cocoon. Hope came up beside the taller man and said they will together in a cheery tone. He was giving a few stares which caused him to become embarrassed but Snow ruffled his hair and saved him from feeling the shame of speaking up.

"Now what's our motto?" Snow asked.

"Fal'cie is no matched for NORA!" The group paired up once more and got back on their bikes and took off waving what may be their final farewell to the party and flew off into the heavens out of sight. Vanille and Hope waved back in return even after they were long gone while the others watched with hopeful eyes. Snow however didn't look back and raised his hand in appreciation as if finally gathered the courage to say goodbye. With the door now open to the party they can now fight their way through the gates and further into the courtyard towards Eden.

* * *

It was a simple fight against two Humbaba's with a single or two swings, a few blows to the body and severe spell markings etched into them they were defeated in a swift second. Everyone of them had gotten so much stronger their game counterparts would have been put in shame in the great differences in strength, agility, etc. all seven had walked casually up the steps before them in front of the building leading to their destination, crystal floated in the air to the skies as they pressed on. The scene before them made them all hold perplexed gazes at something so strange happening right in front of them. Attempting to catch a gleaming flake of crystal Lightning tried first but it floated out of the way as though it was in water and the current swept it away. It was the same weird phenomenon in Oerba and it was happening now here on Cocoon. Fang tried and her hand moved quickly as though speed would make a difference but it was the similar failed attempt her battle partner had. Hope tried to catch it as a crystal floated toward his hand, similar fate he shared with the two women previously.

"I don't like this. Is Cocoon falling apart already?" Sahz asked uncomfortably. Hope looked around and came up with a conclusion.

"Could be. Maybe Orphans having trouble keeping things together with all this fighting going on."

"The clamor of this conflict rouses the Maker." Spoke an enlarged illusion of Dysely. His mug surprises the party of his presence but still loathe and fury breed within them. As the darkening light glows around his face making him appear menacing in human form Light and Fang were the first to respond with their weapons drawn. Sahz follows the rest of his companions gaze and spoke,

"Yeah? Well, we're gonna stop this ruckus soon enough."

Displeased with the given response Dysely appeared before the party in his human guise.

"Can you halt the Calvary's charge? Filled with righteousness, they will slaughter Orphan in the name of Freedom. Your only recourse will be to deliver them death, swift and certain."

As though withdrawing their weapons only to ready them to strike using calm words to mask her distaste Light retaliated to the fal'cies words.

"No. Unlike you, they'll listen to reason."

Quiet for a moment and as though he was grinning maliciously he said five mere words to them in response in a slow voice that made their skins crawl uncomfortably, albeit his gaze fixed upon the Interloper trying her best to hide away her fear and uncertainty.

"We will see about that... I shall savor the demise of Cocoon from atop the highest seat in all of Eden. You, too, should hurry along to the heart of our grand Capitol. Your loved ones miss you so." Gasping in surprise they allow their feelings to be shown. The longing to see the ones they all lost once more. Finding the courage to speak Mel forced her way to the front and shouted at her companions to remember who they were speaking to.

"Don't listen to this blighter! He's trying to bait you, don't fall for whatever lies he's feeding you! You know the truth about them, and he doesn't know jack shit!" She cries shoving a finger towards the Fal'cie. Remaining displeased Dysely retreats to the air and speaks again.

"Come, L'cie. Fulfill your destiney!" And retreats as a ball of white light vanishing towards the Capitol. Looking to the ground then to where the Fal'cie was last seen Hope spoke in a low tone loud enough for the others to hear.

"You're destiny... We'll decide our own destiny!"

"Right- over Barthandelus's dead body." Light says as though answering what Hope sounded like he was asking a question. Curiosity swept them when Barthandelus gazed at Mel as he said 'we will see about that.' And the first person to ask was Vanille.

"Mel, what did he mean we shall see about that? What does he and you know that the rest of us don't?" She asked almost afraid to speak to the sixteen year old that held such burning hatred in her eyes it made her look meaner than her usual anti social or socially awkward self. Growling between her teeth and finding her cool she stood upright with composure and let her anger go to answer the red head.

"He meant that there is no saving the soldiers who charged into the Capitol, even the ones who made it further in to Orphans Cradle." Before she could question more the taller brunette had a bitter gaze of sympathy in her gaze that she flashed toward the Oerbian healer.

"If you would let me, allow me to show you why, then you would understand the reason why I am sympathetic right now. They are living a fate worse than the suffering everyone had endured in the past, the present and maybe in the future." Disregarding information of the events in the later sequels she walked on ahead before halting not even two steps as she spots an Adamantortose, the same one walking that crashed through the glass floor of the building ahead. Looking onwards to see two floating item capsules Mel reached for her last blade but pulled back her fingers once they touched the hilt, afraid it will break before the final fight she turns around to Light.

"What?" The pink haired soldier asked with a brow raised.

"Can I borrow your gunblade, Light?" She asks a little awkwardly, avoiding the gaze of who she was talking to. Crossing her arms across her chest she responds with a simple, 'why?' Rubbing the back of neck and seeing the beast is getting closer to the building she rushed her words.

"I don't want to lose my last blade to something before the last fight commences, so please?" Mel asked already pleading. Holding a stern gaze to the Interloper then to the beast behind her she sighs and asked,

"Why do you want to kill the Adamantortuise so badly? It isn't important."

"See those capsules over there? In the game it took one with it before I could reach it and I had plenty of time to get it and I want to know what it's holding before it reaches it so please?" Mel pleads again. Not giving a second thought Light hands her weapon to her without batting an eyelash, surprised but happy she took the weapon, almost dropping it to the ground to its unexpected weight, Mel turns around and swings the blade sidewards in a swift motion a pale blue white wave of energy escaped the blade and flew at the monster. It looked like Ichigo's Getsugatenshou but it was different in both form and size as it warbled and vibrated to such powerful release. Once it connected to the monsters skin it went through it like butter until it exited through the skull leaving nothing but scorch marks as big as its tusk upon its flesh. It took a step closer to the glass and fell to its death, realizing it was falling forward Mel's eyes widened in horror as the dead beast fell forward onto the glass and falling right through taking both capsules with it. Dumbfounded and embarrassed Mel returned Lights weapon with her head down and walked ahead of them, Fang and Snow with Sahz all laughed with Fang hollering loudly, "FAIL!" As she cupped her hands by her mouth and continued to laugh. Light and Vanille shot the three a poisonous glare at them while Hope was stuck between sides followed Mel toward the building. They quickly defeated the Behemoths and soldiers guarding the gates in a minute it took a little longer than anticipated for the others continued to argue among each other.

"This is so lame." Mel said aloud emotionless as she watched the others fighting in place of where they previously stood. She capped her bottle water she bought from a nearby vending machine and looked at the ground as she sat on the rails by the door. Hope sat by her, not too close, and followed her gaze.

"We'll get there soon enough, lets hope they didn't forget we are on borrowed time though." He said voicing his opinion. He looked to their friends and to the Interloper with a nonchalant expression and an unreadable one might he add.

"Hey, Mel? When this is over will we see each other again?" Hope asked in a confident, mature tone than the beginning. Mel looks at the fourteen year old with surprise and holds her expressionless gaze. A sad smile came upon her lips as she responded,

"Who knows... I might never come back here again, that's a possibility to think about." She responded. Trying not to feel pessimistic Hope unraveled his yellow bandana around his wrist that covered his brand and gave it to her by tying it around her right wrist.

"Then lets trade, my bandana for the bangle you and Vanille made when we we wandering around the Vile Peaks. As a momentum of all the memories we shared together, a promise that we will never forget about the time we experienced we made with everyone. A promise, one day we can come and visit you in your world as you could come and visit us someday in return." Mel looked at her wrist that now had the bandana around it and whispered her 'younger brothers' name, she would miss this world just as much as she longs to return home but now she clashes with her goals to go home and her temptation to stay here as her new home wondering which will trump the other.

"Thank you." Was all she managed to say and the silver haired teen nodded.

"If we're exchanging gifts then I'll give this to you too then!" Both Mel and Hope looked to their left to see Vanille removing a bracelet made of silver and white gold from her wrist and surprisingly it fit right onto the interlopers other wrist.

"wow this fit on my wrist, I never wear bracelets because my hands, in my case my knuckles and fists, are too big to fit any bracelets on. But I don't have anything to give you Vanille."

The red head giggled and showed a necklace she didn't wear before with an iris, New Orleans Saints insignia, with a silver chain connected to it. Never did this world carry such a rare item, this place surely is amazing.

" I made it after I found a white flower they crafted this after. With a reference and unused materials I made one myself. You told me it was your favorite sign so I made it, it was supposed to be yours but I thought I'd keep it for me, like Hope said its another promise we are sharing beside the one we made about Gran Pulse so keep that bangle from me and Fang. We made this ages ago when we were younger so a gift from us to you." She says with a heart lifting smile. Looking between her two closest friends Mel couldn't suppress a smile and laughed.

"Thanks you guys."

"Okay okay enough with the touching moments we haven't the time for Christmas so come on get up!" Fang said annoyed as she walked towards the door it seemed that she had lost the argument against Light after Vanille had left her side. The duo stood and followed after the huntress then Snow and Sahz was on their trail a little after looking both apologetic and defeated, the Interloper began to follow soon after but a hand stopped her by touching her shoulder.

"This is it huh? The final chapter is right ahead of us now. Who knows what will happen in there." Lightning says gently, her eyes and expression were void of emotion as if she became a puppet.

"Don't tell me your saying goodbye now, Light. You wanna know why this isn't the end? Because this _isn't_ the end, no matter how grim the outcome is we press on and we fight for the hope of the future for them. For everyone. So don't count on saying your final farewells just yet okay?" Mel said like she was giving a speech once more, or an attempt for a motivational one.

Lightning rolled her eyes and removed the strap that was fastened around her bicep and clipped it on the same side to her non related younger sister.

"If what they say comes true, and you can't return here, you will have something from us, from our world, not some cheap knockoffs or perfect resemblance of our things that your world makes to sell. This is real and you know it. Come on let's hurry otherwise Fang will start making her stupid jokes again." After saying her last sentence the two sprinted through the building passing many frightened people and caught up to the others. On the other side of the opposing door blocking the way that opened accordingly to reveal the Capitol of Eden.

"So this is the heart of Cocoon." Fang says crossing her arms.

"It's incredible!" Vanille says in awe at the view of the vast space that is the very heart of the state.

"That's where Eden sits, controlling all the other Cocoon Fal'cie." Hope explained as though acting as a tour guide. "It's also where we'll find Orphan, the battery that keeps Eden running." He said remembering their goal once more.

"All right, so what's the plan?" Snow asked towards Light for the answer.

"Your usual plan, charge in through the front door what else?" She replies without a second thought.

'Don't be so reckless now Light, after everything we been through don't do this now.' Mel pleaded inside biting the inside of her cheek as she watched the pink haired woman walk.

"Right, the front- hey what are you!? Where are you going!?" Sahz asked caught by surprise. Ignored he starts to speak but doesn't finish his sentence only 'tssked' a few times as Vanille giggled with Fang, Snow and Sahz watching soldier girl, Hope and Mel walk a little ahead of them.

Around the corner came PSICOM soldiers in blue, purple and gold uniforms weapons draw followed by a Behemoth they called to join their ranks to fight the L'cie.

"Right." Light says in a bored Yet serious tone. And Sahz agreed with her too. The Behemoth charged toward them by jumping over the ranks only to get blasted away, crashing into the soldiers, from a blast a Juggernaut hit it with. Soon a Tyrant appeared behind them and Sahz hoped that they were their backup.

"Well if it is, its not too happy to see us." Light interjected harshly turning around as they are caught in between the fray.

"We are so close and if you guys wanna live another day 'til the Day you can actually die an old age! Then move out of the way!" Fang cried as she took on the Tyrant by launching it into the air swiftly catching it off guard, jumping into the air to meet up with it midair and slammed her lance against its armored body with a heavy 'clang'! It was shot out of the air and into the Juggernaut, the Behemoth, all three massive beasts slid across the walkway clearing the way of the soldiers in seconds there was none to challenge them.

"Harsh much?" Mel asked sarcastically, she crossed her arms and closed her eyes lightly.

"Well, it does make things easier but then again we could have taken them. Oh well." Fang lightly punched her arm as Snow patted her head Mel had to swipe them both away with close punches.

"I'm not a little kid! So don't treat me as one!" She cried out in childish anger.

"Don't worry you'll get the chance to show us how much you improved since the other Light's passing when we reach Orphan, got it? Now lets go!" With the pathway cleared of enemies the party ran until they were greeted with steps and two pure white crystal C'ieth. Readying themselves for another fight they grabbed their weapons and walked causally towards them ensuing yet another fight leading them to their destination.

* * *

A/N: HOLY CRAP! It's been at least a month since I updated and on my part I am soory because I've been working over the summer, sleeping in in the morning since I work either early afternoon or late afternoon to closing which is a little after nine 'o clock and by the time I got to sleep it is eleven to midnight so sorry! (_ _|||) anyways hope this was a good chapter, I will still update the best I can little at a time so please be patient and sorry for the cliff hanger and the normal stuff... So, hopefully by the next chapter it will get better for their last fight with Rosch and will get through Orphans Cradle quicker but by keeping the challenge. Well, until next time, Ciao!


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